A fighter is someone who fights, either physically in battles or sports, or mentally by not giving up in difficult situations. It can also refer to a fast military aircraft used in air combat.
It comes from Old English “feohtan,” meaning “to fight,” plus the “-er” ending that marks a person who does something. The word later expanded to machines that fight as well.
Calling someone a “fighter” doesn’t always mean violence; it can praise stubborn courage against illness, injustice, or hardship. The same root idea powers “fighter jets,” turning human struggle into high-speed metal.
"Fighter" has been strongly associated with masculine roles such as soldiers, boxers, and political strongmen, while women’s roles in resistance and combat have often been downplayed or framed as exceptional. The term is also used metaphorically for people facing illness or adversity.
Use "fighter" for people of any gender in comparable roles or struggles, and avoid language that treats women or gender-diverse fighters as surprising, less capable, or primarily symbolic.
["combatant","resister","advocate","competitor"]
Acknowledge women and gender-diverse fighters in military, resistance, sports, and social movements whose contributions have frequently been minimized in historical narratives.
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