foot soldier

See also: footsoldier

English

Etymology

From foot +‎ soldier.

Pronunciation

• enPR: fo͝ot sōl′jər
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /fʊt ˈsəʊl.d͡ʒə/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /fʊt ˈsoʊl.d͡ʒəɹ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

foot soldier (plural foot soldiers)

1. (military) A soldier who fights on foot; an infantryman
2. (figurative, by extension) A rank and file member of an institution, or supporter of a cause.
   • 1980 February 9, Scott Tucker, “The Lavender Left”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 28, page 5:

     We are rightfully wary of straight Leftists who didn't give a damn for our struggle until they saw we had build ^[sic] on our own, and then tried to recruit foot-soldiers from our ranks.

Translations

infantryman — see infantryman