paratrooper

[par-uh-troo-per]

See more synonyms for paratrooper on Thesaurus.com

noun

a member of a military infantry unit trained to attack or land in combat areas by parachuting from airplanes.

Origin of paratrooper

First recorded in 1940–45; para-³ + trooper

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for paratrooper

fighter, mercenary, guerrilla, veteran, guard, officer, volunteer, marine, pilot, paratrooper, trooper, commando, warrior, cadet, infantry, recruit, private, gunner, scout, rank

Examples from the Web for paratrooper

Contemporary Examples of paratrooper

In that attack, the Scooter Killer's first, the paratrooper, Ibn Ziaten, had sought to sell his Suzuki Bandit motorcycle.
French Shooting Suspect Mohamed Merah Under Siege in Raid
Tracy McNicoll
March 22, 2012
Skydivers, for instance—an intriguing example given the paratrooper killings.
French Police Mount a Massive Manhunt for Killer of 3 Children, Teacher
Tracy McNicoll
March 20, 2012
The third paratrooper was wounded in the spine and remains in critical condition in the hospital.
France’s Shocking Shooting Spree
Tracy McNicoll
March 19, 2012

Word Origin and History for paratrooper

1941, from parachute + trooper. The collective noun paratroops is first recorded 1940. Earliest reference is to the German invaders who were expected to drop on England.