infantry
5 synonyms for infantry, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Soldiers who fight on foot, as opposed to those in tanks, on horseback, or in vehicles.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
foot soldiers
ground troops
footmen
riflemen
How to use infantry
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
infantry regiment
light infantry
infantry division
Etymology
From French infanterie, from Italian/Spanish infantería, from infante, "foot soldier," ultimately from Latin īnfāns, "child, youth."
Full origin of infantry →Frequently asked questions
What does “infantry” mean?
The word “infantry” means soldiers who fight on foot, as opposed to those in tanks, on horseback, or in vehicles. In plain terms, foot soldiers — the part of an army that fights on the ground rather than in vehicles or on horses.
How do you pronounce “infantry”?
“Infantry” is pronounced IHN-fuhnt-ree (/ˈɪnfəntɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “infantry” in a sentence?
Here is “infantry” used in a sentence: “Waves of infantry advanced across the muddy field.”
What part of speech is “infantry”?
“Infantry” is a noun.
Where does the word “infantry” come from?
The word “infantry” comes from Latin. From French infanterie, from Italian/Spanish infantería, from infante, "foot soldier," ultimately from Latin īnfāns, "child, youth.".
Is “infantry” a common word?
“Infantry” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between infantry and cavalry?
Infantry are soldiers who fight on foot, while cavalry historically fought on horseback and in modern armies usually operate armoured or mechanised vehicles. The key distinction is foot soldiers versus mounted or vehicle-borne troops.
What is the difference between infantry and artillery?
Infantry are foot soldiers who engage the enemy directly on the ground, whereas artillery refers to troops and the large mounted guns they operate to strike targets at a distance.
Is infantry singular or plural?
Infantry is a collective noun. It usually takes a singular verb when treated as a single unit ("the infantry is advancing") but can take a plural verb when the focus is on the individual soldiers, which is more common in British English.
What do you call a single infantry soldier?
A single member of the infantry is called an infantryman or an infantry soldier. The word infantry itself refers to the foot soldiers collectively rather than to one individual.
