seraskier

seraskier

English

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish سرعسكر‎ (serasker), from Persian سرعسکر‎ (sar'askar), a compound word from Persian سر‎ (sar, “head”) and Arabic عَسْكَر‎ (ʿaskar, “army”), itself from Persian لشکر‎ (laškar, “army”). [1]

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)

Noun

seraskier (plural seraskiers)

1. (now historical) A commander in the Ottoman Empire.
   • 1789, Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative, vol. I, ch. 9:

     A seraskier or officer took a liking to me here, and wanted me to stay, and offered me two wives; however I resisted the temptation.

References

1. "seraskier." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 2008.