fighter

American  

[fahy-ter] / ˈfaɪ tər /

noun

1. a boxer; pugilist.

2. Military. an aircraft designed to seek out and destroy enemy aircraft in the air and to protect bomber aircraft.

3. a person who fights, struggles, resists, etc.

4. a person with the will, courage, determination, ability, or disposition to fight, struggle, resist, etc.

5. an animal, as a dog, trained to fight or having the disposition to fight.

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fighter British  

/ ˈfaɪtə /

noun

1. a person who fights, esp a professional boxer

2. a person who has determination

3. military an armed aircraft designed for destroying other aircraft

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Other Word Forms

• nonfighter noun

Etymology

Origin of fighter

before 1000; Middle English; Old English fēohtere. See fight, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Less than a decade later, Beijing’s newest stealth fighters are entering service with what officials call “Chinese hearts,” or indigenously made engines.

From The Wall Street Journal

Emery said Rogers is Villa's "protagonist" who is a "fighter" and is getting rewards on the pitch for his efforts.

From BBC

But some fighters were more careless than others.

From Barron's

The Sheffield fighter challenges for his maiden world title at the end of January and has long been linked with a fight with Azim.

From BBC

Joshua was something else: An active fighter, also aging and rusty at 36, but still fearsome and far, far larger.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• assailant
• boxer
• champion
• combatant
• mercenary
• militant
• opponent
• soldier
• tanker
• warlord
• warrior