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noun Common

infantry

IHN-fuhnt-ree
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Infantry (noun) means Soldiers who fight on foot, as opposed to those in tanks, on horseback, or in vehicles. Example: “The infantry marched for hours along the dusty road before they could rest.”

noun
1
Soldiers who fight on foot, as opposed to those in tanks, on horseback, or in vehicles.
"The infantry marched for hours along the dusty road before they could rest."
"Waves of infantry advanced across the muddy field."
"He served in the infantry during his time in the army."

How to use infantry

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFoot soldiers — the part of an army that fights on the ground rather than in vehicles or on horses.

Common pairings
infantry regiment light infantry infantry division
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Word forms

Plural
infantries
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The _____ marched for hours along the dusty road before they could rest.

Etymology

From French infanterie, from Italian/Spanish infantería, from infante, "foot soldier," ultimately from Latin īnfāns, "child, youth."

Origin: Latin

foot soldiers ground troops foot footmen riflemen

Related words

Rhymes for infantry

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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.

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