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 The call came in Monday night from the Daytona Beach apartment complex on South Beach Street after a man was reportedly struck with a samurai sword. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2024 From April 20 through Aug. 4, one of the world’s largest collections of Japanese samurai armor from the 14th through 19th centuries will be on display. Gary Stoller, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 The 34-year-old was convicted in November of first-degree murder after nearly beheading his ex-girlfriend, a mother of two, with a samurai sword in front of neighbors in September 2022. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2024 The broadcast anned to a woman in the audience brandishing a sword, showing off her samurai skills on a table where Phoebe Bridgers and Victoria Monét were seated. Caroline Brew, Variety, 5 Feb. 2024 Pedro Pascal beats ne’er-do-wells in 1980s Oakland to a bloody pulp, while Jay Ellis slashes neo-Nazis with a samurai sword. Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2024 These traditional inns date back to the 8th century A.D., and many of the earliest ones were located along the Tokaido route, which connected current-day Tokyo and Kyoto, and provided respite for nomadic samurai and traders. Christina Liao, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2023 But that gruesome pageantry is as much a part of the allure of samurai films as the stately ceremonial interludes. Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 May 2023 These samurai can follow several roles like warriors, duelists, wizards, ninja, courtiers and more. Rob Wieland, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'samurai.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near samurai

Cite this Entry

“Samurai.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/samurai. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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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