Infantry

Origin

From Middle French infanterie, from older Italian, possibly from Spanish infantería "foot soldiers, force composed of those too inexperienced or low in rank for cavalry," from infante "foot soldier," originally "a youth", either way from Latin infans '(child) who doesn't speak (yet)' (from in- 'non-' + fari 'to speak')

Noun

1. Soldiers who fight on foot (on land), as opposed to cavalry and other mounted units, regardless of external transport (e.g. airborne).
2. (uncountable) The part of an army consisting of infantry soldiers, especially opposed to mounted and technical troops
3. A regiment of infantry

Derived terms

• infanteer
• infantryman
• light infantry
• marine infantry
• mechanized infantry
• mounted infantry