sirdar

sir·dar | \ ˈsər-ˌdär

How to pronounce sirdar (audio)

, sər-ˈdär \

variants: or sardar

Definition of sirdar

1a : a person of high rank (such as a hereditary noble) especially in India

b : the commander of the Anglo-Egyptian army

2 : one (such as a foreman) holding a responsible position especially in India

Examples of sirdar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Kanchha, then 19 years old, saw the teams passing through Namche on their way to the mountain and noticed Tenzing Norgay, the charismatic sirdar (foreman) of the expeditions’ high-altitude porters. — Freddie Wilkinson, National Geographic, "He’s the last surviving member of the first expedition to summit Everest," 17 June 2019 In 1992, Lakpa Rita was working his first season as a sirdar, or head Sherpa, for AAI. — Anna Callaghan, Outside Online, "Kami Rita Summits Everest for 22nd Time," 16 May 2018

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

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Dictionary Entries near sirdar

Sirāj-ud-Dawlah

Statistics for sirdar

Cite this Entry

“Sirdar.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sirdar. Accessed 8 December 2019.

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