Combattant

/ˈkɑːm.bə.tənt/ noun

Definition

A person who fights or takes part in combat; another spelling variant of combatant (mainly historical or variant usage).

Etymology

From Old French 'combatant,' the present participle of 'combattre.' This form preserves the French spelling and is occasionally used in English legal or historical contexts to refer to those engaged in warfare.

Kelly Says

This spelling shows how English sometimes keeps French variants of words — 'combattant' versus 'combatant' is like keeping both 'theatre' and 'theater,' preserving a linguistic memory of where English borrowed the word.

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