Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A horseman of the Hungarian light cavalry organized during the 1400s.
  • noun A member of any of similar, ornately uniformed European units of light cavalry.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A member of a class of light cavalry originating in Hungary in the middle ages, and now forming part of most European armies.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Mil.) Originally, one of the national cavalry of Hungary and Croatia; now, one of the light cavalry of European armies.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Originally, one of the national cavalry of Hungary and Croatia; now, one of the light cavalry of European armies.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a member of a European light cavalry unit; renowned for elegant dress

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Hungarian huszár, from Serbian husar, highwayman, from Old Italian corsaro; see corsair.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Hungarian huszár ("cavalryman"), from Serbo-Croatian gusar ("highwayman, brigand"), from Italian corsaro ("corsair"), from Medieval Latin cursārius ("pirate"), from Latin cursus ("running"), from currō ("run").

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word hussar.

Examples

  • His dress was a tunic of black serge, which, like those commonly called hussar-cloaks, had an upper part, which covered the arms and fell down on the lower; a small scrip and bottle, which hung at his back, with a stout staff in his hand, completed his equipage.

    The Monastery 2008

  • The arms and appointments of the hussar were a sad encumbrance in this climate.

    In New Granada Heroes and Patriots William Henry Giles Kingston 1847

  • His dress was a tunic of black serge, which, like those commonly called hussar-cloaks, had an upper part, which covered the arms and fell down on the lower; a small scrip and bottle, which hung at his back, with a stout staff in his hand, completed his equipage.

    The Monastery Walter Scott 1801

  • He'd got himself the Light Cavalry Brigade, which had sent a great groan through every hussar and lancer regiment in the army, and was even fuller of bounce than usual - his ridiculous lisp and growling "haw-haw" seemed to sound everywhere you went, and he was full of brag about how he and his beloved Cherrypickers would be the elite advanced force of the army.

    The Sky Writer Geoff Barbanell 2010

  • He took off his hat to her, bowing from the waist - and a Polish hussar couldn't have done it better, damn him.

    The Sky Writer Geoff Barbanell 2010

  • He's a Cossack, who rose to command a hussar regiment in the army, won the Tsar's special favour, and retired here, away from his own tribal land.

    The Sky Writer Geoff Barbanell 2010

  • I should have known those whiskers anywhere-the very picture of a dashing hussar, eh?

    Isabelle Estelle Bruno 2010

  • Hip hip hussar for decent companionable style I say, that means it's fine for us lesser mortals, put it on your Christmas list, at least it won't just sit unread on the shelf for the next ten years.

    The Whisperers 2007

  • Hip hip hussar for decent companionable style I say, that means it's fine for us lesser mortals, put it on your Christmas list, at least it won't just sit unread on the shelf for the next ten years.

    The Whisperers 2007

  • Hip hip hussar for decent companionable style I say, that means it's fine for us lesser mortals, put it on your Christmas list, at least it won't just sit unread on the shelf for the next ten years.

    42 entries from November 2007 2007

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • "Hussars, are the national cavalry of Hungary; they are lightly armed, and are remarkable for their desultory attacks, in which they lay themselves flat on their horses' necks, which secures them in some degree from the enemy's fire, and when within pistol shot, they raise themselves, and commence the fight with such vivacity, on every side, that unless accustomed to their attacks it is difficult to resist them. Under the name of Hussars, this cavalry has been introduced into European and American armies. The term Hussars implies twentieth, because twenty peasants were obliged to furnish one horseman in the Hungarian service." (citation in Historical Military Terms list description)

    October 10, 2008