Soldier

A person who serves in the armed forces of a nation is known as a soldier. Soldiers may be enlisted members of the military who are either conscripted or volunteer, non-commissioned officers, or officers.

The origin of the word "soldier" can be traced back to the Middle English word "soudeour," which was borrowed from the Old French word "soudeer" or "soudeour" to mean "mercenary." The word "mercenary" was derived from the word "soudee," which meant "shilling's worth" or "wage," which was derived from the word "soud," Additionally, the term is derived from the Medieval Latin word for soldier, which is soldarius (literally, "one having pay"). The origin of these terms may be traced back to the Late Latin word solidus, which refers to an Ancient Roman currency that was used in the Byzantine Empire.

Due to the rising specialisation of military jobs that involve diverse domains of knowledge and skill-sets, the term "soldier" has taken on a meaning that is more inclusive in most armies. This is because the word "soldier" refers to those who serve in the armed forces. As a consequence of this, "soldiers" are more commonly referred to by names or ranks that reflect an individual's military occupation specialty arm, service, or branch of military employment. Some examples of these names and ranks include: trooper, tanker (a member of tank crew), commando, dragoon, infantryman, guardian, artilleryman, paratrooper, grenadier, ranger, sniper.

In many nations, soldiers who serve in certain jobs are referred to by terminology other than the name of their occupation. For instance, members of the military police in the British Army are referred to as "red caps" because of the colour of the hats that they wear (and berets).

Infantry are sometimes referred to as "grunts" (in the United States Army) or "squaddies" (in the British Army), while artillery crews, also known as "gunners," in the United States Army are sometimes referred to as "redlegs." This nickname comes from the colour associated with the artillery service branch. "G.I." is a common phrase for members of the United States military (short for the term "General Issue").

Because of their ability to operate on both land and water, members of the French Marine Infantry are referred to as "porpoises" (in French: marsouins). These types of nicknames are given to military units in the majority of militaries. These nicknames might originate from pieces of distinguishing uniform, historical connotations, or competition between different branches or regiments.

Certain troops, such as conscripts or draftees, only serve for a specific, predetermined period of time. Others choose to continue their service until they reach retirement age, at which point they become eligible for a pension along with additional benefits. Members of the United States armed forces who have served for twenty years are eligible for retirement benefits. Since of this, people in certain nations are referred to as "30-year men" because their term of duty lasts for 30 years.