noun
soldier
SOHLD-zhuh
noun
1
A person who serves in an army, especially one who is not an officer.
"The soldier had served two tours overseas."
"Hundreds of soldiers marched through the town for the parade."
2
Informal: a low-ranking member of a criminal organization, especially the mafia.
"The film follows a young soldier working his way up in the crime family."
3
A strip of buttered toast or bread cut for dipping into a soft-boiled egg.
"She cut the toast into soldiers to dip in the runny yolk."
verb
1
To carry on doggedly despite difficulty.
"Despite the setback, the team decided to soldier on."
How to Use Soldier
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA member of an army; also used loosely for a low-level gang member, a strip of toast for dipping, or (as a verb) to keep going through hardship.
Common pairings
soldier on
toy soldier
foot soldier
Word Forms
soldiered past tense, soldiers plural, soldiers singular
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Etymology
From Old French soudier ("mercenary"), ultimately from Late Latin solidus, a type of coin — a soldier was originally "one who is paid" for military service.