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A soldier is a general English term that refers to a member of a land component of national armed forces. In most societies of the world, "soldier" is also a general term for any member of the land forces including commissioned or Non-commissioned officers.

The word soldier is derived from an Old French word, itself a derivation of Solidarius, Latin for someone who served in the armed forces for pay, as opposed to warriors in tribal society where every grown man is automatically a member of his clan's fighting force. Solidare in Latin means "to pay"; Roman soldiers were paid in solidi, so-called because they were a new type of solid silver coin brought in after a reform of the Roman monetary system.

The common Romance origin for the words soldier and payment survives not only in French as soldat and solde, but also in other languages, like German Soldat and Sold, Spanish soldado and sueldo, Portuguese soldado and soldo, Dutch soldaat and soldij, Italian "soldato" and "soldo", Arabic "Gondi" and "moganad" and many other languages.

In the Russian language the word soldier is also "солдат" ("soldat"), although it is not related to the Russian word for money, but was borrowed from German use. In some languages the word soldier is derived from different etymology, for example Estonian "sõdur" is derived from word "sõda," which means "war."

German Army soldiers in Bosnia

Iraqi soldiers preparing meal.

In most armed forces the word soldier has been mostly abandoned with increasing specialisation in military occupations that require different areas of knowledge and skill-sets, and have been replaced by names which reflect Arm, Service or Branch of individual's service, type of unit or operational employment or technical use such as: trooper, Commando, dragoon, infantryman, marine, paratrooper, ranger, sniper, engineer, or a sapper.

In some English speaking countries soldiers serving in specific occupations are referred to by terms other then their occupational name. For example military police personnel are known as "redheads" from the colour of their berets, and in the United States Army, artillerymen are sometimes referred to as "redlegs," from the branch color for artillery.

A soldier who no longer serves in the armed forces is often called a veteran, a term which can also apply to a long-serving or experienced soldier who is still in the army.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Soldier

• Army
• Related terms: Mercenary, Guerrilla, Militant, Combatant
• Famous groups of soldiers: Praetorian Guard, Swiss Mercenaries, Swiss Guard, Red coat,Waffen SS, French Foreign Legion, Samurai, Household Cavalry, Conquistadors, Varangian Guard, Buffalo Soldier, Special Forces.
• Military animals
• Toy soldier
• Military use of children

• US Army from American Revolution to 2006
• Lithuanian Soldier
• Roninreunited