serang

Etymology

From Persian سرهنگ (sarhang, “commander”).

Noun

serang (plural serangs)

1. (India, now historical) A native Indian boatswain; a lascar captain.
   • 2008, Amitav Ghosh, Sea of Poppies, Penguin, published 2015, page 14:

     The discovery that the substance in his mouth was of vegetable origin came as no great reassurance to Zachary: once, when the serang spat a stream of blood-red juice over the rail, he noticed the water below coming alive with the thrashing of shark's fins.

   • 2020, Sujit Sivasundaram, Waves Across the South, William Collins, published 2021, page 161:

     The serang or his deputy could serve as a rebel leader or as a point of protest; there were even times when isolated Europeans joined the rebel cause.

Anagrams

• Garnes, rengas, arengs, Ganser, ranges, Agners, Angers, snarge, resang, granes, Sanger, sanger, angers

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -aŋ
• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /səˈraŋ/ [səˈraŋ]
• Rhymes: -aŋ
• Syllabification: se‧rang

Etymology 1

From Malay serang.

Etymology 2

From Persian سرهنگ (sarhang, “commander”).

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.).

Pronunciation

This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with the IPA then please add some!

• Hyphenation: se‧rang