infantry

noun

in·​fan·​try ˈin-fən-trē 

plural infantries

1

a

: soldiers trained, armed, and equipped to fight on foot

b

: a branch of an army composed of these soldiers

2

: an infantry regiment or division

Did you know?

The Italian word fante (from Latin infans, “infant, child”) originally meant “child,” later “youth, boy,” and then “servant.” In the 14th century, fante also took on the sense “foot soldier.” In Renaissance times, the fanteria, foot soldiers collectively, became a significant branch of arms, and the Italian word infanteria, was borrowed into English in the 1500s.

Examples of infantry in a Sentence

He joined the infantry after leaving school.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team was created in 2016 when the service added more than 200 vehicles to an infantry unit of roughly 4,200 soldiers. —Russ Bynum, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025

Speed helps infantry soldiers keep pace with armored units traveling to war, said Col. Trevor Voelkel, who commands the 1st Mobile Brigade Combat Team for the 101st Airborne Division. —Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2025

After leaving three years with the Army infantry, including one year in Vietnam, Gutierrez enrolled at ASU to study history and philosophy. —Maria Polletta, AZCentral.com, 30 July 2025

Vasyl’s remaining infantry hold positions sometimes in pairs and are delivered food, water and ammunition in the half-light of dawn or dusk when the larger Ukrainian Vampire quadcopter drones can fly. —Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 29 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French & Old Italian; Middle French infanterie, from Old Italian infanteria, from infante boy, foot soldier, from Latin infant-, infans

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

infantry

noun

in·​fan·​try ˈin-fən-trē 

plural infantries

: a branch of an army made up of soldiers trained, armed, and equipped to fight on foot

Etymology

from early French infanterie and early Italian infanteria, both meaning "infantry," from early Italian infante "infant, boy, foot soldier," from Latin infans "infant"

Word Origin

In the Middle Ages in France, a young soldier from a good family who was not yet a knight was called enfant, which means "child." Likewise, in Italy a soldier moving on foot behind a knight riding a horse was an infante. Later, Italian foot soldiers as a group became known as infanteria, which was borrowed into French as infanterie and into English as infantry.