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.
Seeing the way the samurai jumped and spun around was the inspiration Coleman needed. Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 13 July 2025 PlayStation 5 Games Deals The Assassin's Creed franchise has been a staple in gaming consoles for nearly 20 years now, and Shadows, the latest iteration, furthers that tradition with a game that puts players behind Naoe, a shinobi assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai. PC Magazine, 11 July 2025 Rice Japan holds a cherished place in Japanese national culture — samurai reputedly used to be paid in it. Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 July 2025 Over time, their quality and functionality along with aesthetics improved to the level of samurai swords, which are both elegant and lethal as depicted in classic films like Kurosawa’s. Akiko Katayama, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Samurai.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/samurai. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!