Janissary

Quick meaning: Janissary is a noun meaning (figuratively) An elite, highly loyal supporter.

Meaning

(figuratively) An elite, highly loyal supporter.

More Meanings

1. (historical) An infantry soldier, often of European Christian background from the Balkans as well as Eastern Europe and forcibly converted to Islam, in a former elite Turkish (Ottoman) guard (disbanded in 1826).

Example Sentences

My Lord the great Commander of the worlde, Besides fifteene contributory kings, Hath now in armes ten thouſand Ianiſaries, Mounted on luſty Mauritanian Steeds, […]

The debate must be maintained until the third reading of the corn bill had been agreed to by the house of lords. What a situation! […] Power, place, patronage might reward those who upheld the minister; they might even at this conjuncture become ‘janissaries’ without ever having been ‘renegades’.

Tom has his Eyes ſtill near a Cloſe, and was going on, when an unlucky horn'd Janizary, obſerving the Court ſomewhat uneaſy under their Indulgence, ran a Needle up to the Head in his moſt fleſhy Part, and made Tom wince, if not like a Mule, yet very much like his graver Sire that gave him his original Name.

After remaining a few days at Smyrna, we set out to pay a visit to the ruins of Ephesus, which are situated on the shore of the Gulf of Skalanova, about thirty-five miles south of Smyrna. Our equipage consisted of a Greek servant, Spiridon, or, as he was usually called, Spiro; Achmet, a janissary; and an old Smyrniot, proprietor of the horses which we rode.

Word Forms

• janissaries
• janisary
• janissar
• janizary
• janizar

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include jannissary, janizary, janisary, janizar, sanjakbeg, sanjakbey.

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