soldier of fortune

noun phrase

: one who follows a military career wherever there is promise of profit, adventure, or pleasure

Examples of soldier of fortune in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The case centered on a lurid plot in which prosecutors said a transnational crime lord, Paul LeRoux, tasked Mr. Samia, who was then working for him as a soldier of fortune, and two other men with killing Catherine Lee, a real estate broker who Mr. LeRoux believed had stolen from him. Charlie Savage, New York Times, 23 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'soldier of fortune.' 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

1661, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of soldier of fortune was in 1661

Dictionary Entries Near soldier of fortune

Cite this Entry

“Soldier of fortune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soldier%20of%20fortune. Accessed 21 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

soldier of fortune

: one who follows a military career wherever there is promise of profit, adventure, or pleasure
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!