(formerly) a member of a body of French infantry composed of Algerian recruits noted for their dash, hardiness, and colourful uniforms
2.
a member of any body of soldiers wearing a similar uniform or otherwise modelled on the French Zouaves, esp a volunteer in such a unit of the Union Army in the American Civil War
Word origin
C19: from French, from Zwāwa, tribal name in Algeria
Zouave in American English
(zuˈɑv; zwɑv)
noun
1.
a member of a former infantry unit in the French army, originally Algerians, noted for the precision of its close-order drill and characterized by a colorful uniform
2.
a member of any military group having a similar uniform; specif., a member of any of various volunteer regiments in the American Civil War
Word origin
Fr < Ar Zwāwa < Berber Igawawaen, name of a Kabyle tribe of the Jurjura Mountains, Algeria, from whom the Zouaves wereoriginally recruited