Where does “soldier” come from?
Soldier comes from Middle English soudeour, from Old French soudier, meaning a person hired for military service.
soldier (English): A member of an army, of any rank; A private in...
Definitions
- A member of an army, of any rank; A private in...
Ancestry of “soldier”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | soudeour | A soldier; a member of an organised army |
| 2 | Old French | soudier | — |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | soldarius | soldier; mercenary |
| 4 | Late Latin | solidus | a gold coin of the Roman Empire; type of coin;... |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | soliðos | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | solh₂-i-dʰ-o-s | entire |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | solh₂- | whole |