ninja

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noun nin·ja \ˈnin-jə, -(ˌ)jä\

Definition of ninja

plural

ninja

also

ninjas

: a person trained in ancient Japanese martial arts and employed especially for espionage and assassinations

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ninja was our Word of the Day on 01/20/2011. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of ninja from the Web

The realtor, oh the poor realtor, lists in detail all the features of the home avoiding the obvious like some sort of realtor ninja.

— denise harris, star-telegram, "Richmond, Texas, home for sale is not a joke but goes viral fast," 17 July 2017
Sus Hi Eatstation: Get your ninja on at this sushi restaurant that serves customizable sushi dishes such as rolls, wraps and bowls.

— lauren delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Give poke a try at these Central Florida restaurants," 15 June 2017
Su Hi Eat Eatstation is the ninja-themed restaurant started by Robert Ly and wife Teresa Tran.

— kyle arnold, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Su Hi Eat Station rolling into Lake Nona, Millenia areas," 8 June 2017
Based on the Lego Ninjago series, the film follows six young ninjas fighting to defend their island of Ninjago home.

— lexy perez, The Hollywood Reporter, "From 'Captain Underpants' to 'The Emoji Movie': 19 Animated Films Set to Hit the Big Screen," 1 June 2017
The data showed interest in careers was literally all over the map, including top searches for: president (Texas and Oklahoma); zookeeper, (West Virginia); YouTube star (Ohio); bus driver (Mississippi); lion tamer (Louisiana); and ninja (Virginia).

— AL.com, "Payless closures, Mercedes buys American, Alabamian trade with Canada top AL.com business news," 30 May 2017
In the celebrity version, each star is paired with an elite ninja who help them prepare for the physically taxing event and then coach and cheer them through the obstacles.

— molly blue, OregonLive.com, "Ashton Eaton takes on the obstacle course on Celebrity Ninja Warrior: How to watch," 25 May 2017
Like Costanzo did in Farmington, the ninja burglar targeted wealthy neighborhoods for break-ins.

— david owens, courant.com, "Staten Island 'Ninja Burglar' Sentenced To 22 Years In Prison For Violent Farmington Burglary," 17 May 2017
In the senior world, that makes her a digital ninja.

— petula dvorak, Washington Post, "These teens are bridging the digital divide between old and young," 15 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ninja.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Ninjas may seem mysterious, but the origin of their name is not. The word ninja derives from the Japanese characters "nin" and "ja." "Nin" initially meant "persevere," but over time it developed the extended meanings "conceal" and "move stealthily." In Japanese, "ja" is the combining form of sha, meaning "person." Ninjas originated in the mountains of Japan over 800 years ago as practitioners of ninjutsu, a martial art sometimes called "the art of stealth" or "the art of invisibility." They often served as military spies and were trained in disguise, concealment, geography, meteorology, medicine, and also other martial arts. Popular legends still associate them with espionage and assassinations, but modern ninjas are most likely to study ninjutsu to improve their physical fitness and self-defense skills.