hajduk
An outlaw, highwayman, or freedom fighter in the BalkansAn outlaw, highwayman, or freedom fighter in the Balkans.
Meaning
4 senses(historical)An outlaw, highwayman, or freedom fighter in the Balkans.
Heiduck
гайду́кgajdúk
гайду́кhajdúk, гайдама́каhajdamáka
(historical)A halberdier of a Hungarian noble.
(historical)An attendant in German or Hungarian courts.
(archaic)A mercenary foot soldier in Hungary.
Heiduck
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
Borrowed from Hungarian hajdúk, plural of hajdú (“foot-soldier”). The Hungarian word may dBorrowed from Hungarian hajdúk, plural of hajdú (“foot-soldier”). The Hungarian word may derive from hajtó which meant “(cattle) drover”. In 16th century Hungary, cattle driving was an important and dangerous occupation and drovers traveled armed. Some of them ended up as bandits or retainers in the service of local landowners and many may have become soldiers. In any case, the term hajdúk came to be used in the 16th century to describe irregular soldiers. There is probably an etymological link between hajdú and the Turkish word haydut, which was used by the Ottomans to describe Hungarian infantry soldiers and has the sense 'outlaw, robber' in modern Turkish usage, though it is not clear whether the word travelled from Hungarian to Turkish or vice versa.
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