a Japanese warrior who was a member of the feudal military aristocracy
"The samurai served as loyal warriors within the rigid hierarchy of Japan's feudal military aristocracy."
feudal Japanese military aristocracy
"The samurai, as part of the feudal Japanese military aristocracy, served their daimyos in exchange for land and protection."
In feudal Japan, a soldier who served a daimyo.
"In feudal Japan, every samurai was obligated to serve his local lord, or daimyo, in exchange for land and protection."
In plain English: A samurai was an elite Japanese warrior who served as soldiers and nobles for their lords during ancient times.
"The famous Japanese samurai once served their lord with great loyalty and honor during ancient battles."
Usage: Samurai refers specifically to the warrior class in feudal Japan that held hereditary titles and served their lords with strict codes of honor. Use this term when discussing historical Japanese military history rather than modern contexts or fictional portrayals outside that era.
The word samurai comes directly from the Japanese language, where it originally referred to a specific class of warriors. It is derived from the native Japanese term 侍 (samurai).