noncombatant

noun

non·​com·​bat·​ant ˌnän-kəm-ˈba-tᵊnt How to pronounce noncombatant (audio)
also
ˌnän-ˈkäm-bə-tənt How to pronounce noncombatant (audio)
: one that does not engage in combat: such as
a
: a member (such as a chaplain) of the armed forces whose duties do not include fighting
b
noncombatant adjective

Examples of noncombatant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The letter says that journalists are civilians and that Israeli authorities must protect them as noncombatants in accordance with international law. David Bauder, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2024 Personnel tasked with portraying noncombatants capture photos and videos of troop locations and equipment, and upload the imagery to a mock social network called Fakebook. Alex Horton, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2024 The figure does not differentiate between combatants and noncombatants, but officials say that two-thirds of the victims have been women and children. Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2024 Under the Geneva Conventions, noncombatants should not be taken prisoner. Isobel Koshiw, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2023 Israel’s search-and-destroy missions and its intensive bombardments have come at the cost of thousands of women, children and other noncombatants killed. Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2023 The 2024 presidential contenders are laying into each other and even training fire on noncombatants — political figures of both parties who aren't in the race — all while allowing Trump to skate by largely unscathed. Brittany Bernstein, National Review, 29 Nov. 2023 The Israeli government insists troops are waging war in accordance with international law to avoid harm to noncombatants. CBS News, 5 Nov. 2023 The international press and Western commentators often assume that if any noncombatants are killed in such operations, then excessive force has been used. Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'noncombatant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of noncombatant was in 1811

Dictionary Entries Near noncombatant

Cite this Entry

“Noncombatant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/noncombatant. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

noncombatant

noun
non·​com·​ba·​tant
ˌnän-kəm-ˈbat-ᵊnt,
(ˈ)nän-ˈkäm-bət-ənt
1
: a member (as a chaplain) of the armed forces whose duties do not include fighting
2
noncombatant adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on noncombatant

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