combatant
n.n. a person who takes part in a fight or war. You use this word to describe someone who is actively involved in a battle, whether as a soldier or a fighter.
n. a person who participates in a fight or war. Often used in legal or military contexts to distinguish active participants from civilians.
The combatant was treated as a prisoner of war.
International law requires that all combatants be treated humanely, regardless of their side in the conflict.
The treaty sought to ensure that non-combatants were protected from the direct effects of the conflict, though enforcement remained a significant challenge for the peacekeeping forces.
Inherited from late Middle English combataunt, from Middle French combatant. By surface analysis, combat + -ant. Doublet of combattant.