combatant
UK: ˈkɒmbətənt | US: kəmˈbætənt
n. a person or group engaged in fighting, especially in a war or conflict
adj. engaged in or ready to engage in combat
The word "combatant" originates from the French combattant, derived from combattre (to fight), which in turn comes from Late Latin combattere (com- "with" + battuere "to beat"). The suffix "-ant" is borrowed from Old French, denoting an agent noun (one who performs an action) or an adjective describing a state. The morpheme "combat" preserves its core meaning of conflict, while "-ant" systematically transforms it into a term for a participant. This structure reflects a common pattern in English for forming agentive nouns from verbs (e.g., "assistant," "defendant").
The Geneva Convention outlines the rights of captured combatants.
Both combatant forces agreed to a temporary ceasefire.
She trained for years to become a skilled combatant.
Non-combatant civilians were evacuated from the war zone.
The treaty distinguishes between combatant and non-combatant roles.