infantry

[ in-fuh n-tree ]

/ ˈɪn fən tri /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR infantry ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural in·fan·tries.

soldiers or military units that fight on foot, in modern times typically with rifles, machine guns, grenades, mortars, etc., as weapons.

a branch of an army composed of such soldiers.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following bird names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby infantry

infantile sexuality, infantile spasm, infantilism, infantilize, infantine, infantry, infantry fighting vehicle, infantryman, infants' school, infarct, infarction

Origin of infantry

1570–80; < Italian infanteria, equivalent to infante boy, foot-soldier (see infant) + -ria -ry

OTHER WORDS FROM infantry

non·in·fan·try, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for infantry

In Vietnam, Lewis was advisor to a Vietnamese infantry unit, whose nickname for him was “Captain of Many Kilos.”
A West Point MVP Who Never Played a Down|Nicolaus Mills|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the west at Utah Beach the U.S. Fourth Infantry Division encountered almost none, lost 12 men killed in the first 24 hours.
Blood in the Sand: When James Jones Wrote a Grunt’s View of D-Day|James Jones|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Being there with a company of American infantry was dangerous enough; going there on your own seemed like straight-up suicide.
Heart of Darkness: Into Afghanistan’s Taliban Valley|Matt Trevithick, Daniel Seckman|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Stasio would join the Fourth Brigade, Second Infantry Division, “the Raiders,” and deploy to Iraq.
How the NSA Became a Killing Machine|Shane Harris|November 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The patriarch, Josiah, had fought with the 42nd Wisconsin Infantry, marching all the way to Kentucky to battle the Confederates.
Those Kansas City Blues: A Family History|Katie Baker|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Infantry, cavalry and artillery crossed the creek and the ridges and formed in a solid line which nothing could resist.
The Scouts of Stonewall|Joseph A. Altsheler
As the day wore on reinforcements of infantry came up from the force which had been left to guard the camp.
The Great Boer War|Arthur Conan Doyle
A regiment of infantry and a battalion of cavalry were put on guard and patrolled the streets to reduce the riotous to order.
From Fort Henry to Corinth|Manning Ferguson Force
Then the infantry became engaged, Jackson throwing his brigades upon Prince, turning his flank, and pushing him back.
Following the Flag|Charles Carleton Coffin
With five thousand infantry and one hundred and eighty cavalry he has advanced to a ford beyond the fork of Chateauguay.
Canada: the Empire of the North|Agnes C. Laut

British Dictionary definitions for infantry

infantry

/ (ˈɪnfəntrɪ) /

noun plural -tries

soldiers or units of soldiers who fight on foot with small arms
(as modifier)an infantry unit

Abbreviation: Inf, inf

Word Origin for infantry

C16: from Italian infanteria, from infante boy, foot soldier; see infant

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

infantry

noun, plural in·fan·tries.

QUIZZES

Words related to infantry

Words nearby infantry

Origin of infantry

OTHER WORDS FROM infantry

Example sentences from the Web for infantry

British Dictionary definitions for infantry

noun plural -tries

Word Origin for infantry