Cossack

== English == === Alternative forms === cossack kozak, Kozak (in Ukrainian contexts) === Etymology === From Middle French cosaque, from Middle Polish Kozak, from Middle Ukrainian коза́къ (kozák), from Kipchak *qazaq (whence Armeno-Kipchak խազախ (xazax)), from Old Turkic 𐰴𐰔𐰍𐰸 (*qazǧaq, “profiteer”), from 𐰴𐰔𐰍𐰣𐰢𐰴 (qazǧanmaq, “to acquire”), from 𐰴𐰔𐰢𐰴 (qazmaq, “to dig out”), from Proto-Turkic *kaŕ-. Doublet of Kazakh. First appears c. 1587 in the writings of George Turberville. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈkɒsˌæk/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈkɑsˌæk/, /ˈkɔsˌæk/ Hyphenation: Cos‧sack === Noun === Cossack (plural Cossacks) A member or descendant of an originally (semi-)nomadic population of Eastern Europe and the adjacent parts of Asia, formed in part of runaways from neighbouring countries, that eventually settled in parts of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian tsarist Empire and constituted a military caste, particularly in areas now comprising southern Russia and Ukraine. A member of a military unit (typically cavalry, originally recruited exclusively from the above). (obsolete) A Ukrainian. (derogatory) A mercenary, a violent thug: a regular or irregular soldier, police officer or security guard employed to persecute or oppress disfavoured groups, such as Jews or (striking) workers. Coordinate term: Pinkerton ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== Kazakh Kazakhstan ==== Translations ==== === References === === Anagrams === cassock