Etymology and Historical Usage
The term "sepoy" or "sipāhi" is derived from the Persian word "sipāh" meaning "infantry soldier" in the Mughal Empire. In the Ottoman Empire the term Sipahi was used to refer to elite cavalry troopers. In its most common application sepoy was the term used in the British Indian Army, and earlier in that of the British East India Company, for an infantry private (a cavalry trooper was a sowar).
The term sepoy came into use in the forces of the British East India Company in the eighteenth century, where it was one of many, such as peons, gentoos, mestees and topassess used for various categories of native soldiers. Initially it referred to Hindu or Muslim soldiers without regular uniform or discipline. It later generically referred to all native soldiers in the service of the European powers in India. Close to ninety-six percent of the British East India Company's army of 300,000 men were native to India and these sepoys played a crucial role in securing the subcontinent for the company.
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