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sepoy

(India, Pakistan, Nepal) The holder of an infantry enlisted rank equivalent to private in other countries.

ˈsiːˌpɔɪCurrent150 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
2 definitions
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UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(India, Pakistan, Nepal) The holder of an infantry enlisted rank equivalent to private in other countries.

They proved to be the wives of a body of sepoys, also from the 5th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry; the sepoys had perished, and their families been enslaved, when their pattamar had been captured by the Qawasim some months before.
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK

(historical, military) A native soldier of the East Indies, employed in the service of a European colonial power, notably the British India army (first under the British-chartered East India Company, later in the crown colony), but also France and Portugal.

They proved to be the wives of a body of sepoys, also from the 5th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry; the sepoys had perished, and their families been enslaved, when their pattamar had been captured by the Qawasim some months before.
Origin: From , from / , from , from army. and. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

Sepoy means: A native soldier of the East Indies, employed in the service of a European colonial power, notably the British India army (first under the British-chartered East India Company, later in the crown. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.

For ESL learners

sepoy means: A native soldier of the East Indies, employed in the service of a European colonial power, notably the British India army (first under the British-chartered East India Company,. Register: informal, military jargon. Often not understood outside its region; gloss the word on first use when writing for an international audience. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.

Cluster: farewell
Heard in the wild
  • “May 6, 1857 – The East India Company disbands the 34th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry whose sepoy Mangal Pandey had earlier revolted against the British in the lead up to the War of Indian Independence.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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