Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The highest non-commissioned officer in a native regiment in India; a sepoy sergeant. The term is adopted in the British Indian army for a native sergeant.

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

  • noun In the British Indian armies, a noncommissioned officer of native soldiers, corresponding to a sergeant.
  • noun a native sergeant major in the East Indian army.

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

  • noun A military rank of the British Indian Army and of the modern armies of India and Pakistan, equivalent to sergeant.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Persian حوالدار, from Arabic حواله ("charge") + Persian دار ("holder").

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Examples

  • But Speedy swore by them, and to my gratification their havildar was a leathery veteran from the Mogala country who claimed to remember “Bloody Lance ", as he addressed me, pouring out the old tale of how Ifflass-mann slaughtered the four Gilzais — so much lying tommy-rot, you understand, but I dare say I could still dine out on it in the caravanserais along the Jugdulluk road.

    Flashman on the March Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 2005

  • The havildar came out of the dark, with two troopers behind him.

    Fiancée 2010

  • While the drum beat slowly, a havildar and two naiks went along the ranks of the prisoners, tearing the buttons off the uniform coats; they had been half cut off before-hand, to make the tearing easy, and soon in front of the long grey line there were little scattered piles of buttons, gleaming dully in the sultry light; the grey coats hung loose, like sacks, each with a dull black face above it.

    Fiancée 2010

  • Then I made him lick the blood off the blade, spat in his face, and respectfully asked the havildar what I should do next.

    Fiancée 2010

  • "Sher Khan, havildar, * (* Sergeant.) lately of Ismeet Sahib's company of the Guides,7 as your honour says," croaks he.

    Fiancée 2010

  • You have seen the havildar-major, a soldier of high caste, take the cartridge.

    Fiancée 2010

  • Whiting swore, and struggled with him, but the mutineer - a big, black-moustached havildar with a Chillianwallah medal - threw him down and wrested his musket away.

    Fiancée 2010

  • Then they helped me down, and sponged my head and gave me a drink, and their havildar says:

    Fiancée 2010

  • What happened was that the havildar-major came along the rank, with two naiks carrying big bags of cartridges, of which he offered three to each skirmisher.

    Fiancée 2010

  • Look at the havildar-major - look at Makarram Khan!

    Fiancée 2010

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