1. a sailor from India or Southeast Asia, especially one employed on European ships
Usage: historical; nautical

Examples

• The British merchant ship employed several lascars on its voyage to India.
• Lascars were commonly hired by European trading companies in the 18th and 19th centuries.
• The ship’s crew included both European officers and lascar sailors.
• Many lascars worked on vessels traveling between Asia and Europe.
• The captain relied on experienced lascars who knew the monsoon patterns.
• Historical records show that lascars often faced difficult working conditions at sea.