infantry
B2Formal, Military
Definition
Meaning
Soldiers who fight on foot.
The branch of an army composed of units trained, equipped, and primarily intended to engage in ground combat on foot. It is traditionally the largest and most fundamental combat arm.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Refers to the collective body of foot soldiers, not to an individual soldier. An individual member is an 'infantryman' (or historically 'infanterist').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. US military jargon more commonly uses specific unit designations (e.g., 'Infantry Regiment').
Connotations
Both carry connotations of ground combat, being the 'boots on the ground', and foundational military strength.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in US media due to larger military footprint and popular culture (war films, video games).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [adjective] infantryinfantry of [noun]infantry [verb]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The Queen of Battles (traditional honorific for infantry)”
- “boots on the ground”
- “grunt work (slang, derived from 'grunt', a slang term for an infantryman)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly metaphorical: 'Our sales infantry is hitting the streets.'
Academic
Common in historical, political science, and military studies contexts.
Everyday
Used in news reports about conflicts, historical discussions, and popular culture.
Technical
Precise military science term defining a combat arm and its specific tactics, equipment, and organization.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The general decided to infantry the position at dawn. (rare, technical)
American English
- The doctrine called to infantry the hill. (rare, technical)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form)
adjective
British English
- The infantry assault was repelled. (attributive use)
- He held an infantry command.
American English
- The infantry platoon moved out. (attributive use)
- She attended the infantry school.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Soldiers who fight on foot are called infantry.
- The infantry marched for many miles to reach the front line.
- Modern mechanized infantry is transported by armoured vehicles but dismounts to fight.
- Despite advancements in aerial and artillery support, securing territory ultimately falls to the infantry.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
INFANT + RY. Imagine a newborn (infant) army – the most basic, foundational troops from which all others grew.
Conceptual Metaphor
ARMY IS A BODY (infantry as the legs and feet, providing movement and foundation). FOUNDATION (infantry as the base upon which other forces support).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'пехота' (correct translation) and 'инфантерия' (archaic/borrowed term, understood but rarely used in modern Russian).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'infantry' as a countable noun for a single soldier (incorrect: 'He is an infantry'; correct: 'He is in the infantry' or 'He is an infantryman').
- Misspelling as 'infantery'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a correct use of the word 'infantry'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a singular, collective noun (like 'team' or 'family'). It refers to the group as a whole. You say 'The infantry is advancing' (singular verb for the unit) or 'The infantry are taking their positions' (plural verb considering the individual soldiers).
'Soldier' is the general term for any member of an army. 'Infantry' specifies the branch or type of soldier—one who is trained and equipped to fight on foot as their primary role. All infantrymen are soldiers, but not all soldiers are infantry (e.g., pilots, artillery crews).
Yes, commonly in an attributive position (before a noun) to describe things related to infantry, e.g., 'infantry tactics', 'infantry officer', 'infantry rifle'.
Marine forces have their own infantry units (Marine infantry), which are a core part of their combat arms. They are a specialised type of infantry, often trained for amphibious assault. So, they are infantry, but not all infantry are Marines.