Dictionary

Mameluke en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈmæməˌluk/ (General-American)
• /ˈmamɪl(j)uːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Borrowed from a European language such as Late Latin mameluc or Middle French mamelu, mameluch (modern French mameluk, mamelouk), borrowed from Arabic مَمْلُوك (mamlūk, “(adjective) owned, possessed; (noun) slave (especially a white slave)”), the passive participle of مَلَكَ (malaka, “to own, possess; to be the master”), from م ل ك (m l k, root relating to authority and possession). Doublet of mameluco.

Meanings

1. (historical) A member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers, mainly from the Eurasian steppe or the Caucasus; in particular, those who formed a ruling caste in Egypt from 1250 until 1812 and in Syria from 1260 until 1516.
   • He [Napoleon] first smashed the native Mameluke army at the battle of the Pyramids on 21 July [1798], and secured lower Egypt before leading an expedition in Syria against Turkish forces. 2002, Colin Jones, “Conclusion: The Brumaire Leviathan and la Grande Nation”, in The Great Nation: France from Louis XV to Napoleon 1715–99, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 574:
   • Conceivably both fort and causeway had been built by an Egyptian Mameluke for the passage of his pilgrim-caravan from Yenbo. 1922 (date written; published 1926), T[homas] E[dward] Lawrence, “Book I: The Discovery of Feisal. Chapter XVI.”, in Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Doran & Company, published 1937, →OCLC, page 107:
   • The Mammalukes boaſt, that they have the nimbleſt and readieſt horſes of any men at armes in the vvorld. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, “Of Steedes, Called in French Destriers”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 156:
   • The Mamluks, who seized power in Egypt in 1250, were a caste of men captured for military service, so they drew their identity from their defence of Islam against its enemies. 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, “Islam: The Great Realignment (622–1500)”, in A History of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years, London: Allen Lane, →ISBN, page 278:
   • The mightie Empire of Saladine againe rent in peeces, yet ſtill poſſeſſed in parts by the Selzuccian family: vntill driuen out of Syria by the Tartars, and diſpoſſeſt of Ægypt by the Mamalacks. 1615, George Sandys, “The First Booke”, in The Relation of a Iourney Begun An: Dom: 1610. […], London: […] [Richard Field] for W. Barrett, →OCLC, page 44:
   • […] Mammolukes and Geniſaries about yͤ Turk and Sowdã [Sowdan, i.e., Sudan], haue vſed to chriſten their children of purpoſe, that by the renayĩg of their fayth, after, they might be made Mammolukes or Geniſaries, as theyr fathers were, and may be had the more in eſtimacion & fauour about the greate Turke, […] 1528, Thomas More, “A Dialogue Concernynge Heresyes & Matters of Religion […]. Chapter 15. That Princes be Boundẽ [Bounden] to Punish Heretykes, and that Fayre Handelyng Helpeth Litle with Many of Them.”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, book IV, page 279, column 2:
   • I shall not tell how that one solitary Mameluke jumped his horse a hundred feet down from the battlements of the citadel and escaped, because I do not think much of that—I could have done it myself; […] 1869, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter LVIII, in The Innocents Abroad, or The New Pilgrims’ Progress; […], Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company. […], →OCLC, page 631:
2. (broadly, derogatory) One who supports someone or something blindly or slavishly; specifically, one who supports the Roman Catholic Church in this manner.
   • But, so long as the Bishop of Rome remains Pope, and has an army of Mamelukes all over the world, we shall do very little by fulminating against mere doctrinal errors. 1833 April 18, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Church of Rome—Celibacy of the Clergy”, in H[enry] N[elson] C[oleridge], editor, Specimens of the Table Talk of the Late Samuel Taylor Coleridge. […], volume II, London: John Murray, […], published 1835, →OCLC, page 161:
   • For love of the world many are this day fallen away; and many which stood on the truth's side, and defended it awhile, for love of the world have gotten them unto the contrary part, and are become the antichrist of Rome's mamelukes, and are waxen the most wicked enemies unto the truth, and most cruel against it. 1531 September, William Tyndale, “The Exposition of the First Epistle of Saint John, […]. Chapter. II.”, in Henry Walter, editor, Expositions and Notes on Sundry Portions of the Holy Scriptures, together with The Practice of Prelates. […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] The University Press, published 1849, →OCLC, page 177:
3. (broadly, obsolete) A slave (especially one who is a white European) in a Middle Eastern Muslim country.
   • But this madde Amalecke, / Lyke to a Mamelek, / He regardeth lordes / No more than potshordes; […] a. 1530 (date written), John Skelton, “Here after Foloweth a Lytell Boke, whiche hath to Name Why Come Ye Nat to Courte? […]”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume II, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, →OCLC, page 41, lines 475–476:
   • The King our maſter hath ſent a decree and certaine ſtatutes touching the good gouernment and orders to be executed and kept in thoſe Indian townes; and that vpon ſight hereof I ſhall preſently baniſh all the Mamalukes and white men which dwell in any of thoſe Indian townes with all ſpeede, […] 1600, Feliciano Cieça de Corvalho, “A Speciall Letter Written from Feliciano Cieça de Carvalsho the Gouernour of Paraina in the Most Northerne Part of Brasil, 1597. to Philip the Second King of Spaine, Answering His Desire Touching the Conquest of Rio Grande, with the Relation of the Besieging of the Castle of Cabodelo by the Frenchmen, and of the Discouerie of a Rich Siluer Mine and Diuerse Other Important Matters”, in Richard Hakluyt, transl., The Third and Last Volume of the Voyages, Nauigations, Traffiques, and Discoueries of the English Nation, […], 2nd edition, London: […] George Bishop, Ralfe Newberie, and Robert Barker, →OCLC, page 718:
   • Having accepted this advice the King forthwith bade prepare handsome gifts, such as horses with saddles of gem encrusted gold; Mamelukes, or white slaves; beautiful handmaids, high breasted virgins, and splendid stuffs and costly. 1885, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume I, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 3:

Forms

Deriveds

Mamelukery · mameluke · Mamelukedom

Relateds

mameluco · janissary

Synonyms

ovine · sheep

Translations (57)

uk Мамлюк (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · pa ਮਮਲੂਕ (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · el Μαμελούκοι (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · scn mammaluccu (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · fr mamelouk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · ru мамлю́к (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · lt Mameliuk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · br Mamlouked (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · ca mameluc (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · cs mamlúk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · it mammelucco (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · nb mamelukk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · ba мәмлүк (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · kk мәмлүк (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · is mamelúki (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · eu mameluko (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · id Mamalik (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · th มัมลูก (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · ga Mamalúcach (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · id Mamluk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · nl mamluk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · da mameluk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · nl mammeluk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · oc mameloc (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · arz مملوك (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · ast Mamelucu (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · sv mamluk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · ky мамлүк (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · tt Мәмлүкләр (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · sl mameluk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · az məmlük (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · cmn 馬穆魯克 /马穆鲁克 (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · mr मामलूक (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · uk Мамелю́к (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · it mamelucco (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · nn mamelukk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · it mammalucco (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · ta மம்லூக் (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · fi mamelukki (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · de Mamluk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · gl mameluco (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · ko 맘루크 (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · is mamlúki (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · hu mamlúk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · tr memlûk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · la mameluc (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · ro mameluc (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · ms Mamluk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · lv Mameluk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · es mameluco (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · hy մամլուք (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · ar مَمْلُوك (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · hu mameluk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · pl mameluk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · pt mameluco (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · vi Mamluk (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers) · bg Мамелюци (member of various military regimes in the Middle East established and run by freed white slave soldiers)

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