All About Ninjas

We're celebrating International Ninja Day (December 5th) which honors the mysterious and skilled warriors of Japanese folklore and pop culture, recognizing their legacy of stealth and martial arts expertise. Spy this list of words associated with the shadowy legends.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ninja
    a member of the ninja who were trained in martial arts and hired for espionage or sabotage or assassinations; a person skilled in ninjutsu
    The ninja threw her whole body into a blinding spin, swinging her right foot up in a high arc. City of the Plague God
  2. clan
    group of people related by blood or marriage
    My mother and father and the entire clan would be living happily on the money I had sent them. The Woman Warrior
  3. mercenary
    a person hired to fight for another country than their own
    Still holding the broken tip of the sword in his bloody hand, the mercenary took another step toward Chronicler. The Name of the Wind
  4. warrior
    someone engaged in or experienced in warfare
    An axe and short sword hung from his belt; and over his shoulder, he wore the stubby bow of the Fair Folk warrior. The Book of Three
  5. spy
    a secret watcher; someone who secretly watches other people
    “He tells people to wait, so his spies can find out their secrets. Then he pretends the spirits told him everything. It’s all lies.” A Girl Named Disaster
  6. swordsman
    someone skilled at fencing
    From the havens of Harad ships of war put out to sea; and out of the East Men were moving endlessly: swordsmen, spearmen, bowmen upon horses, chariots of chieftains and laden wains. The Fellowship of the Ring
  7. weapon
    any instrument used in fighting or hunting
    “It’s probably better to appear friendly,” he said, handing the weapon back. The House of the Scorpion
  8. katana
    a long, single-edged sword worn by Japanese samurai warriors
    They wore matching suits of traditional samurai armor, and each had both a short wakizashi and a longer katana strapped to his belt. Ready Player One: A Novel
  9. sword
    a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
    ‘I have a sword,’ said Merry, climbing from his seat, and drawing from its black sheath his small bright blade. The Return of the King
  10. skill
    an ability that has been acquired by training
    Seven’s stomach churned with fear, and she practiced her combat skills and magical attacks in her head the whole way. Witchlings
  11. train
    exercise in order to prepare for an event or competition
    If we were training for a fight or a tournament, we would extend the training time to two and a half hours. Long Walk to Freedom
  12. martial art
    any of several East Asian arts of weaponless self-defense
    In most martial arts schools, you are taught how to punch or chop or kick, how to grapple or use holds or escape them. Shelter (Book One): A Mickey Bolitar Novel
  13. dojo
    a training hall or school for martial arts
    But right away, Samira explained she’d been studying karate at a different dojo for the past two years, so she really did know what to do. Maybe He Just Likes You
  14. costume
    attire characteristic of a country, time, or social class
    She stopped by a CVS and bought costumes—matching ninja outfits that were more or less black plastic sheets with hoods. Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference
  15. hide
    keep out of sight, as for protection and safety
    There was no way to hide herself in the busy, well-lit streets. Uglies
  16. shadowy
    filled with shade
    There was no warning; one moment the road was deserted, dappled with moonlight, the next, half a dozen shadowy figures stood before us. The Shakespeare Stealer
  17. invisible
    impossible or nearly impossible to see
    He caused no stir, put out no vibration, became as nearly invisible as it is possible to be. East of Eden
  18. secretive
    reluctant to divulge information
    Many people in West Germany hated Wolf, but he was so secretive and elusive that few outside of the Stasi had ever laid eyes on him. Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia
  19. covert
    secret or hidden
    There were snipers and small groups of rebels everywhere, disorganized bands of covert fighters and half the time you couldn’t tell the Good Guys from the Bad Guys and neither could they. How I Live Now
  20. disguise
    make unrecognizable
    Thanks to Delphi’s brilliant preparation work, we are going to take this potion and be transformed, and thus disguised we will be able to enter the Ministry of Magic. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
  21. stealth
    the act of moving in a quiet or secretive way to avoid being noticed
    I know the Abyssal Serpent follows us somewhere beneath the glassy surface of the water, but like the ship, it travels in complete stealth, leaving no evidence of its passage. Challenger Deep
  22. espionage
    the systematic use of spies to obtain secrets
    The Russian was given two separate code names inside the Agency: IRONBARK, for the military information he provided, and CHICKADEE, for his political espionage. Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia
  23. camouflage
    fabric making a wearer hard to distinguish from a background
    He ducked and dodged under vines and around trees, flashing in and out of sunlight, his war paint blending into the woods like camouflage. The Old Willis Place
  24. infiltration
    a process in which individuals penetrate an area
    The infiltration of soldiers from North to South was steadily rising. Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War
  25. deception
    the act of misleading
    “You claim Juno intends for us to work with this—this other group, Camp Half-Blood. Yet the Greeks have been our enemies for eons. They are known for their deceptions.” The Son of Neptune
  26. ambush
    the act of hiding and waiting to make a surprise attack
    Perhaps they were waiting to make some ambush in a narrow place? The Fellowship of the Ring
  27. reconnaissance
    the act of scouting, especially to gain information
    “Because I’ve snooped around a lot. Gone on reconnaissance missions. Paid off informants. I’m real nosy when it comes to presents.” The Great Santini
  28. surveillance
    close observation of a person or group
    If they heard those Russian words, they would know that an enemy surveillance team had seen them and blown their cover. Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia
  29. assassination
    murder of a public figure by surprise attack
    When I heard about the assassination that evening on the television news, I worried about my own dad driving home from work. While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement
  30. warfare
    the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
    Japanese warfare had previously involved single combats between samurai swordsmen, who stood in the open, made ritual speeches, and then took pride in fighting gracefully. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
Created on Wed Oct 04 14:25:54 EDT 2023 (updated Fri Nov 03 14:41:13 EDT 2023)

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