English
wikipedia
Alternative spellings
Mamaluke
mameluk
Mameluke<!--collins, encarta, m-w-->
Mamluk<!--collins, encarta, m-w-->
mamluk
mamluke

Etymology
16th Century. Via French, ultimately from Arabic ARchar|����� (mamlūk), slave, from ARchar|��� (málaka), to possess, to acquire.

Noun
mameluke

1. One of a body of mounted soldiers recruited from slaves converted to Mohammedanism, who, at times, had more or less control of the government of Egypt, until exterminated or dispersed by Mehemet Ali in 1811.

#: "I hastened to buy many slaves of both sexes, mamluks, beautiful veiled women, negroes, lands, houses and other property..." - The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night

1. (In Muslim countries) a white slave.

Category:Arabic derivations

zh:mameluke

• 2007-04-18 01:19 - Littenberg - Added quotation and wikipedia tag; revised definition slightly

Full Revision History