Gurkha

See also: gurkha

English

Alternative forms

• Gorkha, Ghurkha, Ghoorka, Goorka, Goorkha (some forms are archaic)

Etymology

From Nepali गोर्खा (gorkhā, “inhabitant of Gorkha”), from गोरखा (gorakhā)/गोर्खा (gorkhā, “Gorkha District”), from Sanskrit गोरक्ष (gorakṣa, “cowherd”) an epithet of the patron deity Gorakhnath, from गो (go, “cow”) +‎ रक्ष् (rakṣ, “protect”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)kə

Noun

Gurkha (plural Gurkhas or Gurkha)

1. A member of the dominant ethnic group in Nepal, with a Himalayan diaspora.
2. A member of this people recruited to serve in their own elite units in the British and Indian armies.

Usage notes

• While Gurkha has been the popular spelling worldwide, inside Nepal, the correct spelling is considered to be Gorkha.

Translations

member of ethnic group

• Burmese: ဂေါ်ရခါး (my) (gaura.hka:)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 啹喀 (goe¹ gaa⁴ / goe¹ gaa^4-2) (Hong Kong)

  Mandarin: 廓尔喀 (zh) (Kuò'ěrkā), 廓爾喀 / 廓尔喀 (zh) (Kuò'ěrkā)

• Dutch: Gurkha m
• Finnish: gurkha (fi)
• Hindi: गोरखा (hi) m (gorkhā)
• Malayalam: ഗുർഖ (guṟkha), ഗൂർഖ (gūṟkha)
• Mon: ဂဝ်ရခါ
• Nepali: गोर्खा (ne) (gorkhā), गोर्खाली (gorkhālī), गोरखाली (ne) (gorakhālī)
• Odia: ଗୋରଖା (or) (gorakhā)
• Russian: гу́ркх (ru) m (gúrkx)
• Sanskrit: गोरक्ष (sa) m (gorakṣa)
• Spanish: gurja m or f

military

• Burmese: ဂေါ်ရခါး (my) (gaura.hka:)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 廓尔喀 (zh) (Kuò'ěrkā), 廓爾喀 / 廓尔喀 (zh) (Kuò'ěrkā), 啹喀

• Dutch: Gurkha m
• Finnish: gurkha (fi), gurkha-sotilas
• Hindi: गोरखा (hi) m (gorkhā)
• Nepali: गोर्खा (ne) (gorkhā), गोर्खाली (gorkhālī), गोरखाली (ne) (gorakhālī)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: gurkha (no) m

• Odia: ଗୋରଖା (or) (gorakhā)
• Spanish: gurja m or f

Adjective

Gurkha (comparative more Gurkha, superlative most Gurkha)

1. Referring or belonging to the Gurkha people.

   The Gurkha royal house of Shah united all Nepal under its rule

2. Referring or belonging to Gurkha soldiers.

   In 2009, Gurkha veterans were awarded better terms in the UK

Derived terms

• Gurkha knife

 

See also

• Gurkha on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

References

• “Gurkha”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “Gurkha”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “Gurkha” in TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2024.