mīles
masculine
In Latin, the English phrase 'soldier' is expressed as mīles. If unsure, use mīles. Wiktionary also lists bellator.
Meaning: member of an army (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mīles | masculine | |
| bellator | [bɛlˈlaː.tɔr] (Classical Latin, narrow) [belˈlaː.tor] (narrow) |
masculine |
The term refers to a member of an army. The related verb mīlitāre means to serve as a soldier and serves as the root for the English word 'military'.
What does it mean word for word?
The term bellator is derived from bellum, which means 'war'.
Which one should you use?
mīles is the standard, neutral term for a soldier, often referring to a person's rank or occupation. In contrast, bellator is a more literary or poetic term closer to 'warrior' or 'fighter'.
Related words
Did you know?
- In Roman satire and comedy, mīles became a stock character known as the 'miles gloriosus' or 'braggart soldier' who boasts of fake victories.
- In late Latin, mīles began to be used to describe a 'knight' or a 'soldier of Christ', shifting the meaning from a professional soldier to a spiritual or noble warrior.
- The adjective 'militant' comes from the same root as mīles, but in English, it often implies an activist rather than a literal soldier.
Examples in context
- Mīles currit.The soldier runs.This sentence is useful for seeing the subject mīles in action.Tatoeba #5152091 by Wezel, translation #13796018 by mattlb92
- Mīles fortis est.The soldier is brave.
- Mīles ad castra venit.The soldier comes to the camp.
Example conversation
Julia and Quintus see a man in armor passing by.
- JuliaQuis est ille mīles?Who is that soldier?
- QuintusIs est amīcus meus.He is a friend of mine.
- JuliaVidetur mīles dīlīgens.He seems to be a diligent soldier.
- QuintusIta est, Iūlia.It is so, Julia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soldier” translations and entries bellator, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
