COMBATANT

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does combatant mean? 

• COMBATANT (noun)
  The noun COMBATANT has 1 sense:

1. someone who fights (or is fighting)

  Familiarity information: COMBATANT used as a noun is very rare.

• COMBATANT (adjective)
  The adjective COMBATANT has 1 sense:

1. engaging in or ready for combat

  Familiarity information: COMBATANT used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COMBATANT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone who fights (or is fighting)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

battler; belligerent; combatant; fighter; scrapper

Hypernyms ("combatant" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "combatant"):

defender; withstander (a fighter who holds out against attack)

boxer; pugilist (someone who fights with his fists for sport)

brawler (a fighter (especially one who participates in brawls))

butter (a fighter who strikes the opponent with his head)

fencer; swordsman (someone skilled at fencing)

gladiator ((ancient Rome) a professional combatant or a captive who entertained the public by engaging in mortal combat)

gouger (an attacker who gouges out the antagonist's eye)

gamecock; hell-kite; hell-rooster (someone who is a very fierce fighter)

mauler (a fighter who batters the opponent)

skirmisher (someone who skirmishes (e.g., as a member of a scouting party))

street fighter; tough (someone who learned to fight in the streets rather than being formally trained in the sport of boxing)

master; superior; victor (a combatant who is able to defeat rivals)

grappler; matman; wrestler (combatant who tries to throw opponent to the ground)

Derivation:

combat (battle or contend against in or as if in a battle)

combatant (engaging in or ready for combat)

• COMBATANT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Engaging in or ready for combat

Similar:

military (associated with or performed by members of the armed services as contrasted with civilians)

Derivation:

combat (battle or contend against in or as if in a battle)

combatant (someone who fights (or is fighting))

 Context examples 

A mad rush of anger sent him leaping in amongst the combatants.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

So intent had the squires, both combatants and spectators, been on the matter in hand, that all thought of the steep bank and swift still stream had gone from their minds.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Thirty or forty huskies ran to the spot and surrounded the combatants in an intent and silent circle.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

I remembered that afternoon at Friar’s Oak when Jim had told me that he would make his name known, and his words had come true sooner than he could have expected it, for, go where one might, one heard of nothing but the match between Sir Lothian Hume and Sir Charles Tregellis, and the points of the two probable combatants.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Three pulls from eager arms, and the two combatants, dripping and pale, were dragged up the bank, and lay panting upon the grass.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The inner was for the combatants and for their seconds, while in the outer there were places for the referee, the timekeeper, the backers, and a few select and fortunate individuals, of whom, through being in my uncle’s company, I was one.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As he spoke, the two combatants advanced from either end in full armor with their two-handed swords sloping over their shoulders.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Here the two combatants drew their swords and threw off their doublets, for neither had any defensive armor.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In the centre of this vast assemblage the lists seemed but a narrow strip of green marked out with banners and streamers, while a gleam of white with a flutter of pennons at either end showed where the marquees were pitched which served as the dressing-rooms of the combatants.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)