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lascar

lascar

1 9.9
A sailor from South Asia who worked on British or European ships long ago
  • noun
  • /ˈlæskər/
  • Archaic
: lascar
  • And all I get is five Light Horse for crew, plus three hired lascars.

Examples

  • His black headband gave him a lascar look.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • "During the voyage, the lascar expertly managed the cargo hold to ensure everything was secure."

  • "We are coming aboard," said the lascar.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • This must be the young lascar that Earnshaw brought back from Liverpool.

  • The little lascar.

  • We can thank Yusuf and his lascars... ...for teaching those Daibulians their devotions.

  • Although they cooperate to escape the Ibis with Kalua, the lascar Jodu, and the head lascar Serang Ali,

    Academic text (2018)
  • Although they cooperate to escape the Ibis with Kalua, the lascar Jodu, and the head lascar Serang Ali,

    Academic text (2018)
  • "Lascar skillfully navigated the ship through rough waters."

  • "His uncle was a lascar who served on British merchant ships in the early 1900s."

Synonyms

sailor
vslascar
233 1.0

A person who works on a ship as a crew member but not an officer

is specifically South Asian and mainly worked on British or European vessels
mariner
vslascar
11 6.0

A person who works on a ship at sea

is defined by South Asian origin and historical employment on Western ships
seafarer
vslascar
2 4.8

A person who works or travels at sea, like a sailor

is narrower referring to South Asian crew historically employed by Europeans
shipman
vslascar
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A sailor who works on a ship

is specifically a South Asian crew member historically employed on European ships

Surface Forms

lascar singular
lascars plural

Etymology

Lascar comes from the Persian and Urdu word lashkar, meaning 'army' or 'camp'. Europeans used it for South Asian men who worked as soldiers and ship crew, so lascar came to mean a South Asian sailor on British or European ships.