woordie major
English
editEtymology
editUncertain. Yule states: "Both the rationale of the compound title, and the etymology of wardī, are obscure. Platts gives Hind. wardī or urdī, 'uniform of a soldier, badge or dress of office,' as the first part of the compound, with a questionable Skt. etymology, viruda, 'crying, proclaiming, a panegyric.' But there is also Ar. wird, 'a flight of birds,' and then also 'a troop or squadron,' which is perhaps as probable. Others, again, as many military titles have come from S. India, connect it with Can. varadi, 'news, an order.'"
Noun
editwoordie major (plural woordie majors)
Alternative forms
editReferences
edit- Henry Yule, A[rthur] C[oke] Burnell (1903) “woordie major”, in William Crooke, editor, Hobson-Jobson […] , London: John Murray, […]. (as WOORDY-MAJOR)