hajduk

Questions

How do you pronounce hajduk?

The recorded pronunciation is /hˈaɪdək/.

What does hajduk mean?

An outlaw, highwayman, or freedom fighter in the Balkans.

Where does hajduk come from?

Borrowed from Hungarian hajdúk, plural of hajdú (“foot-soldier”). The Hungarian word may derive from hajtó which meant “(cattle) drover”. In 16th century Hungary, cattle driving was an important and dangerous occupation and drovers traveled armed. Some of them ended up as bandits or retainers in the service of local landowners and many may have become soldiers. In any case, the term hajdúk came to be used in the 16th century to describe irregular soldiers. There is probably an etymological link between hajdú and the Turkish word haydut, which was used by the Ottomans to describe Hungarian infantry soldiers and has the sense 'outlaw, robber' in modern Turkish usage, though it is not clear whether the word travelled from Hungarian to Turkish or vice versa.

How to pronounce hajduk

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “hajduk”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/hˈaɪdək/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “hajduk”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “hajduk” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.