samurai

noun

sam·​u·​rai ˈsa-mə-ˌrī How to pronounce samurai (audio)
ˈsam-yə-
plural samurai
1
: a military retainer of a Japanese daimyo practicing the code of conduct of Bushido
2
: the warrior aristocracy of Japan

Examples of samurai in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The highlight of the hotel is its unique rooftop garden, a recreation of an ancient Tokyo garden built for 16th-century samurai lord Katō Kiyomasa and features a waterfall, a wooden bridge, and a pond. Mae Hamilton, AFAR Media, 1 May 2025 The original Star Wars trilogy had been inspired by the stuff of his youth: a mash-up of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers serials, westerns, WWII movies, and samurai pictures like Akira Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025 Lind suffered multiple knife wounds, lost an eye and was impaled with a samurai sword but managed to fire a handgun in self-defense, killing Borhanian and injuring Leatham. Christine Pelisek, People.com, 20 Apr. 2025 Lind was injured by a samurai sword during the altercation. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for samurai

Word History

Etymology

Japanese

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of samurai was in 1727

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Cite this Entry

“Samurai.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/samurai. Accessed 11 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

samurai

noun
sam·​u·​rai ˈsam-(y)ə-ˌrī How to pronounce samurai (audio)
plural samurai
: a warrior serving a Japanese feudal lord and practicing a code of conduct which valued honor over life

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