This article is about a military rank. For civilian and generic usage, see Armed forces. A soldier is a member of a nation's military. The word "soldier" specifically refers to members of the army who are without officer's commission. In most armies of the world, soldiers who are not officers can work their way through the ranks to obtain a commission. A soldier who no longer serves in the armed forces is often called a veteran, a term which can also apply to a long-serving or experienced soldier who is still in the army.
Etymology
The word soldier is derived from an Old French word, itself a derivation of Solidarius, Latin for someone who served in the armed forces for pay, as opposed to warriors in tribal society where every grown man is automatically a member of his clan's fighting force. Solidare in Latin means "to pay"; Roman soldiers were paid in solidi, so-called because they were a new type of solid gold coin brought in after a reform of the Roman money system.
The common origin for the words soldier and payment survives not only in French (soldat and solde) but also in other languages, like German (Soldat and Sold), Spanish (soldado and sueldo), Portuguese (soldado and soldo), Dutch (soldaat and soldij), Italian ("soldato" and "soldo"), and many other languages. In the Russian language the world soldier is also "солдат" ("soldat"), although it is not related to the Russian word for money. But in the same time, there are languages in which word soldier is derived from different word's root. For example Estonian "sõdur" is derived from word "sõda," which means in Estonian "war."
American usage
In the United States armed forces, the term "soldier" is used to refer to a member (usually enlisted or officer) of the United States Army. Members of the Navy are called "sailors"; the Air Force, "Airmen"; and the Marine Corps, "Marines" (capitalized). Some members of the other armed forces (most often Marines) take offense at being called "soldiers" as a general term for all military personnel.
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
- Army
- Related terms: Mercenary, Guerrilla, Militant, Combatant
- Famous groups of soldiers: Praetorian Guard, Swiss Mercenaries, Swiss Guard, Red coat, French Foreign Legion, Samurai, Household Cavalry Conquistadors Varangian Guard.
- Types of soldiers: Cavalry, Commando, Dragoon, Infantry, Marine, Paratrooper, Ranger, Sniper, Special Forces, Combat Engineer, Sapper
- Military animals
- Toy soldier
- Military use of children
External links
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