jawan

• IPA^(key): /d͡ʒəˈwɑːn/

• Audio (Southern England):

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Borrowed from Hindustani جوان (jvān) / जवान (javān), from Classical Persian جوان (jawān, “young, a youth”).

jawan (plural jawans)

1. (India) An infantryman; a soldier.
   • 1992, Satyindra Singh, Blueprint to Bluewater: The Indian Navy, 1951-65, page 402:

     In any event we soon had the Army jawan sent by the Major with us in the boat and headed for shore.

   • 1999, R. D. Pradhan, Debacle to Revival: Y.B. Chavan as Defence Minister, 1962-65, page 44:

     He obviously expected one of the senior army officials to walk over and talk to the jawan.

   • 2011, Deepika Phukan, The Story of Felanee, translation of original by Arupa Patangia Kalita:

     They could now see a whole lot of army jawans in gum boots looking for something in the mud.

From Arabic جَوَان (jawān), plural of جِنّ (jinn).

jawan

1. plural of jinn

• ajwan

jawan

1. fish

• State Library of Queensland, Indigenous Language Wordlists Brisbane Animal Words.