Vol. 09 · Loanwords ·Japanese ·1870s
Ronin
from 浪人 (rōnin)
- Meaning
- A masterless samurai; informally, a drifter.
- Source word
- 浪人 (rōnin)
- Route into English
- Japanese *rōnin* ("wave man" or wanderer) → English via samurai literature and film → informal modern use for college applicants who spend a year studying after failing entrance exams.
- Arrived
- 1870s
From Japanese
Two waves — Meiji-era diplomatic contact (1850s–1900s) and post-war US military presence (1945–) account for almost all Japanese loans in general English.
English borrows.
Browse the full loanword atlas or explore another source language.