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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. In the United States soldiers are identified as those serving or once served in the United States Army.

Contents

Etymology

See also

External links

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.

See also

★ Army

★ List of soldiers

★ Related terms: Mercenary, Guerrilla, Militant, Combatant

★ Famous groups of soldiers: Praetorian Guard, Swiss Mercenaries, Swiss Guard, Red coat,French Foreign Legion, Samurai, Household Cavalry.

★ 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

★ US Army from American Revolution to 2006