A person who has voluntarily joined the military or armed forces.
From 'enlist' (a verb meaning to join military service) plus '-ee,' a suffix indicating the person receiving an action. The word emerged in 19th-century American English as military recruitment became more formalized and standardized.
The '-ee' suffix (as in employee, trainee, refugee) is used for people on the receiving end of an action—an enlistee is someone who receives the status of being enlisted, whereas an 'enlister' would be someone doing the enlisting, showing how English uses these tiny suffixes to flip perspectives.
Historically, military enlistment excluded women by law in most nations; term carries assumption of male soldier. Modern usage increasingly gender-neutral, but legacy bias persists.
Use 'enlistee' for any gender; note that women have served as combatants and non-combatants (often uncredited) throughout history.
["enlisted service member","recruit"]
Women have served in military roles since WWII and earlier (nurses, resistance fighters, spies); terminology should reflect this reality without gendering.
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