paratrooper

American  

[par-uh-troo-per] / ˈpær əˌtru pər /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of paratrooper

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

Example Sentences

In September 2026, the former paratrooper hopes to return to his home city where his mother, who he describes as his number one fan, will be waiting.

From BBC

He entered the Army’s 101st Airborne Division and earned a Purple Heart as one of the paratroopers who, at age 20, dropped into German-occupied France on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

From Los Angeles Times

A British paratrooper killed serving in Ukraine told his family to "be proud" and not "remember him with sadness", in a letter to be opened in the event of his death.

From BBC

The paratroopers that landed, scattered, are in a race to assault the airfield before Taiwan wrecks it.

From The Wall Street Journal

In the predawn hours of March 13, 1944, a Halifax bomber flew across the black waters of the Adriatic Sea carrying four Jewish paratroopers equipped with submachine guns, pistols and knives.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• commando
• fighter
• guard
• guerrilla
• marine
• mercenary
• officer
• pilot
• trooper
• veteran
• volunteer