n. A soldier on horseback, specially one during the British Raj.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. In India, a mounted soldier.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. A horse-soldier; especially, a native cavalry soldier in the British-Indian army, often in the sense of an orderly or mounted attendant or guard.
Word Usage
"For answer the sowar nodded, took out his Khyber knife, and stepped back under the trees to where his companions were guarding the prisoner, or what was left of him."