Sepoy

A sepoy () is a South Asian soldier. Originating from the Persian word sepāhī (), the term was anglicised to "sepoy" by the British. In the army of the Mughal Empiresepāhī referred to a type of infantryman, while in colonial India it was used as a term for native troops in European service. During the early modern era European colonial authorities in India, most prominently those of the British East India Company, raised units of sepoys for service against native states or other European powers. The term is used today as the equivalent rank of private in the Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese armies.