What does jaghire mean?
Jaghire is an old word for a policeman or police officer in India, particularly one serving during the period of British rule. It belongs to the vocabulary of Anglo-Indian English and is now chiefly historical or archaic. In its earlier context, the word was connected with the jagir system, under which land or the revenue from land was assigned to particular individuals, often military officials. The later application to police officers reflects usage in British India rather than a standard modern meaning in present-day English. Because the term is uncommon, it is most likely to be encountered in historical novels, academic writing about colonial India, and older dictionaries. In contemporary writing, “police officer” or “policeman” would usually be clearer and more natural.
nounA police officer in India, especially during the period of British rule.
- A police officer or policeman in India.
"The village was informed that the jaghire would investigate the disturbance."
"The jaghire questioned the witnesses near the railway station."
"In her account of nineteenth-century India, the historian described how a local jaghire maintained order in the district."
The regular plural is used when referring to more than one police officer; the word itself is now rarely used.
"Two jaghires guarded the entrance to the cantonment."
What began as a term connected with assigned land and revenue eventually became a dated British Indian name for a policeman.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of jaghire
The word entered English from Hindi jaghir or jāghīr, itself borrowed from Persian jāgīr, meaning an assignment or a place assigned. In India, jagir referred especially to an assignment of land or its revenue to a person, often a military officer. Through Anglo-Indian usage, the word came to denote a police officer. The modern form jaghire reflects the spelling convention used in older English dictionaries for this historical term.
How jaghire is actually used
Rare, historical, and archaic. It is chiefly associated with British India and is unlikely to be encountered in contemporary English.