Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- n. Islam A nonbeliever; an infidel.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. A non-Muslim, especially a Christian, an infidel; especially as used by Turkish people with particular reference to Christians such as Greeks, Armenians, Bulgarians, Serbs and Assyrians.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- n. An infidel; -- a term applied by Turks to disbelievers in the Mohammedan religion, especially Christrians.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. An infidel: used by the Turks to designate an adherent of any religion except the Mohammedan, more particularly a Christian, and so commonly that it does not necessarily imply an insult.
Etymologies
Examples
-
He spoke apologetically to the holy man, alluded to the "giaour" more than once, and proceeded to give Dick
-
‘Only a Kurdish giaour would fire on the livery of the Kaaba.’
-
The eunuchs were threatened with death, if she were not found; and the horror of all was aroused by the suggestion that she might possibly have eloped with some giaour [10], and several of the slaves were sent to atone for their neglect with the forfeit of their lives.
Journal of a Visit to Constantinople and Some of the Greek Islands in the Spring and Summer of 1833
-
"I promised the old infidel that he should have the real stuff, and I'll let him see that a giaour can keep his word."
-
It was obedience to his prophet, who bade him take advantage of the giaour -- quite a different thing!
-
Your good Moslem -- and a Moslem is good in those parts who makes a mountain of observances, regarding mole-hills of mere morals not at all -- affects to despise all giaours; but a giaour, like a gipsy, who has no obvious religion of any kind, he ranks below the pig in order of reverence.
-
It was obedience to his prophet, who bade him take advantage of the giaour -- quite
-
And now something happened which had hitherto been deemed incredible; the Sultan sued for peace, a true believer and a sovereign, from an unbelieving giaour.
-
I will strike this giaour of a Frenchman in his tenderest spot -- his heart!
-
Most of these qualities, I am aware, are found in many another pair of lambent, dreamy eyes half - hidden by the soft folds of a yashmak -- eyes which these houris often flash on some poor devil of a giaour, knowing how safe they are and how slim his chance for further acquaintance.
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.