ninja

noun

nin·ja ˈnin-jə

-(ˌ)jä

plural ninja also ninjas

: a person trained in ancient Japanese martial arts and employed especially for espionage and assassinations

Did you know?

Ninjas may seem mysterious, but the origin of their name is not. The word ninja derives from the Japanese characters nin and ja. Nin initially meant "persevere," but over time it developed the extended meanings "conceal" and "move stealthily." In Japanese, ja is the combining form of sha, meaning "person." Ninjas originated in the mountains of ancient Japan as practitioners of ninjutsu, a martial art sometimes called "the art of stealth" or "the art of invisibility." They often served as military spies and were trained in disguise, concealment, geography, meteorology, medicine, and also the arts of combat and self-defense we associate with modern martial arts. Popular legends still identify them with espionage and assassinations, but modern ninjas are most likely to study ninjutsu to improve their physical fitness and self-defense skills.

Examples of ninja in a Sentence

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Gravy is side-served for dipping or slathering (my recommendation), and Gregory’s citrusy-tart cranberry relish slices through all that fat like a holiday ninja. —

Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Nov. 2024 That edgy game followed Joe Musashi, a modern-day ninja who confronts great evil. —

Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2024 The game debuted in 1987 in arcades, and focused on modern-day ninja Joe Musashi, a man who confronts great evil. —

Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 Ubisoft has one last card to play in 2024, the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows where players will fight as a samurai and a ninja in feudal Japan. —

Paul Tassi, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ninja