sepoy

[ see-poi ]

noun

1. (formerly, in India) a soldier, usually an infantryman, in the service of Europeans, especially of the British.

sepoy

/ ˈsiːpɔɪ /

noun

1. (formerly) an Indian soldier in the service of the British

Word History and Origins

Origin of sepoy¹

First recorded in 1675–85, in sense “horseman”; 1710–20 for current sense; variant of sipahi from Urdu, from Persian sipāhī “horseman, soldier,” derivative of sipāh “army”; spahi

Word History and Origins

Origin of sepoy¹

C18: from Portuguese sipaio, from Urdu sipāhī, from Persian: horseman, from sipāh army

Example Sentences

Fully two miles away, on the south side of the ravine, were the sepoy lines, and another group of isolated bungalows.

From Project Gutenberg

Yet he feared to meet her eyes, and was glad of a saluting sepoy who swaggered jauntily past the open gate.

From Project Gutenberg

It was with the utmost difficulty that his wiser subordinates got him to disarm the sepoy regiments in Agra itself.

From Project Gutenberg

It should be explained that a sepoy (properly “sipahi”) is an infantry soldier, and a sowar a mounted one.

From Project Gutenberg

The Sikh ranks had been mainly recruited from our disbanded Sepoy soldiery and deserters.

From Project Gutenberg