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combattant

fighter, combatant

noun kohm-bah-TAHN Rare

Origin: from 'combattre' (to fight), from Latin 'com-' + 'battuere'

Usage Note

Combattant refers to an active participant in armed conflict; the plural anciens combattants is the French equivalent of 'veterans' and names the government ministry overseeing them. The feminine form is combattante. The word also appears in the phrase poisson combattant for the Siamese fighting fish.

Examples

"Les combattants ont déposé les armes."

Natural Translation

The fighters laid down their weapons.

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