noun
- A non-Muslim, especially a Christian; used historically and in literature, often with a derogatory connotation.
Usage: archaic; literary; offensive; from Turkish gâvur
Examples
- In Byron's poem 'The Giaour,' the protagonist is a Christian warrior in conflict with Ottoman forces.
- The term giaour appears frequently in 19th-century Orientalist literature.
- Historically, the word was used by Ottoman speakers to refer to non-Muslim subjects.
- Modern usage of giaour is considered archaic and potentially offensive.
- The Giaour remains a notable work of Romantic poetry despite its dated terminology.