samurai

noun

sam·​u·​rai ˈsa-mə-ˌrī How to pronounce samurai (audio)
ˈsam-yə-
plural samurai
1
: a military retainer of a Japanese daimyo practicing the code of conduct of Bushido
2
: the warrior aristocracy of Japan

Examples of samurai in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The protagonist is legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, depicted as a young samurai who arrives in Kyoto determined to prove his superiority with the blade. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Co-created by Amber Noizumi and Michael Green, Blue Eye Samurai follows the story of Mizu, a samurai who conceals her gender and mixed-race heritage after facing a life of discrimination, on a personal quest for revenge. — Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 21 Aug. 2026 Then, in the meditation hall, our cheery host suddenly turned serious and began pounding on a 350-year-old drum from a samurai castle used for marking the beginning of chores. — Pico Iyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2026 That holds true with his latest – a samurai epic that’s a sterling adaptation of the 2021 novel by Honobu Yonezawa. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for samurai

Word History

Etymology

Japanese

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of samurai was in 1727

Rhymes for samurai

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Browse Nearby Words

samum
samurai
Samvat
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Cite this Entry

“Samurai.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/samurai. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

samurai

noun
sam·​u·​rai ˈsam-(y)ə-ˌrī How to pronounce samurai (audio)
plural samurai
: a warrior serving a Japanese feudal lord and practicing a code of conduct which valued honor over life

More from Merriam-Webster on samurai

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about samurai

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