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boyard

boyar

noun bwah-YAHR Rare

Origin: Russian boyarin (nobleman)

Usage Note

Boyard (also spelled boïard) refers to a member of the Russian or Romanian feudal nobility, ranking just below the princes. The word entered French through historical and literary texts about Eastern Europe. In modern French it appears mainly in historical contexts or as a cultural allusion, not in everyday speech.

Examples

"Le boyard possédait de vastes domaines."

Natural Translation

The boyar owned vast estates.

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