infantry
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
soldiers who are trained to fight on foot on the ground.
the branch of an army that fights on foot, distinguished from cavalry, artillery, or armoured units.
Simple“The infantry marched for three days to reach the edge of the forest.”
In context“Modern infantry units are often transported by helicopter or armoured vehicle, yet their primary role remains engaging the enemy on foot.”
UsageOften used as an uncountable collective noun or as a modifier before another noun.
- 02 C1 Advanced
a funny way to talk about a group of babies or small children.
a humorous, colloquial application of the military term to refer to infants or young children.
Simple“We need to clear the toys off the floor before the infantry arrives for the party.”
In context“The quiet afternoon was abruptly terminated by the arrival of the local infantry, as six toddlers burst into the garden screaming.”
Teacher's tipThis is a play on the word 'infant'. It is rarely used in serious writing and is mostly found in lighthearted conversation.
From Middle French infanterie, from older Italian, possibly from Spanish infantería (“foot soldiers, force composed of those too inexperienced or low in rank for cavalry”), from infante (“foot soldier”), originally "a youth", either way from Latin īnfāns (“child”); see there for more.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.