spahi

From French spahi, from Ottoman Turkish سپاهی‎ (sipahi), from Persian سپاهی‎ (sepâhi, “horseman, soldier”) (> English sepoy), from سپاه‎ (sepâh, “army”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈspɑːhiː/

spahi (plural spahis)

1. (historical) An Ottoman (Turkish empire) cavalryman, especially as recruited under a land-based system.
   • 2001, Orhan Pamuk, My Name Is Red, tr. Erdağ M Göknar

     I hear that the great Sadiki Bey illustrated a copy of Strange Creatures, commissioned by an Uzbek spahi cavalryman, for only forty gold pieces.

2. (historical) A soldier in a mainly Arab-recruited cavalry (originally horse, later light armored) regiment in French colonial service in (former/ in name still) Ottoman North African provinces

• sepoy

• Saiph, aphis, apish, pahis

From French spahi, from Ottoman Turkish سپاهی‎ (sipahi), from Persian سپاهی‎ (sepâhi, “horseman, soldier”) (> English sepoy), from سپاه‎ (sepâh, “army”).

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: spa‧hi

spahi m (plural spahi's, diminutive spahietje n)

1. A spahi

• sepoy m

From Turkish sipahi, from Persian سپاهی‎ (sipāhī, “horseman, soldier”), from سپاه‎ (sipāh, “army”).

• IPA^(key): /spai/

• Audio

  (file)

spahi m (plural spahis)

1. A spahi

• cipaye m

• “spahi” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).