samurai

noun

sam·​u·​rai ˈsa-mə-ˌrī 

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

That holds true with his latest – a samurai epic that’s a sterling adaptation of the 2021 novel by Honobu Yonezawa. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026

PlayStation On October 2, 2026, PlayStation’s excellent samurai sequel Ghost of Yotei will celebrate its one-year anniversary. — Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

His office walls are full of samurai swords and revolutionary art, and his desk is littered with Zyn cans and sugar-free Dr Peppers. — Josh Eells, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026

This time, he's portrayed by the late actor Toshiro Minafune, who's best known to Western audiences for his roles in director Akira Kurosawa's classic samurai films, such as Rashomon, Seven Samurai, and Yojimbo. — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Japanese

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for samurai

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi

Kids Definition

samurai

noun

sam·​u·​rai ˈsam-(y)ə-ˌrī 

plural samurai

: a warrior serving a Japanese feudal lord and practicing a code of conduct which valued honor over life