Meaning & use
infantry
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountablemilitary
Soldiers who fight on foot, as a group.
Grammar: Used as a collective noun; it takes a singular or plural verb, but you do not say 'an infantry' for one soldier.
Patterns
- the infantry
- join the infantry
- infantry units
The infantry advanced through the muddy fields.
He served in the infantry for five years.
Infantry units were sent to secure the bridge.
noununcountablemilitary
The branch of an army that trains and fights on foot.
Grammar: Often with 'the': 'the infantry is/are...' — both singular and plural verbs are used.
Patterns
- the infantry
- the infantry division
She was assigned to the infantry after basic training.
The infantry suffered heavy losses in the attack.
Common combinations
- join the infantry
- At eighteen, he decided to join the infantry.
- infantry unit
- The infantry unit was ordered to hold the line.
- infantry soldier
- An infantry soldier carries a rifle and marches on foot.
- light infantry
- Light infantry can move quickly through rough terrain.
Synonyms and how they differ
- foot soldiers
- A descriptive phrase rather than a military branch name; it is common in news reports.
Word family
- infantryman noun
- A single soldier who fights on foot.
Commonly confused: infantry or infant?
infantry vs infant
Infant means a baby; infantry means foot soldiers. They sound similar but are unrelated in meaning.
Practice
The general sent the ___ to take the hill on foot.
Choose one answer.
'Infantry' is the collective noun for soldiers who fight on foot, which fits the military context. 'Infant' means a baby, 'infantile' is an adjective, and 'infantility' is a noun meaning childishness.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “infantry”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.