spahi

noun

spa·hi ˈspä-ˌhē

1

: one of a former corps of irregular Turkish cavalry

2

: one of a former corps of Algerian native cavalry in the French army

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from Turkish sipahi, from Persian sipāhī cavalryman

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of spahi was in 1562

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Browse Nearby Words

spagyric

spahi

spaik

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Spahi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spahi. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.

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