Definition

1. Noun:
   • Soldiers collectively: The term "soldiery" refers to soldiers as a group, body, or class. It denotes the military forces or troops of a nation or region considered in a collective sense.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The king reviewed his soldiery on the parade ground. (The king inspected his collective body of troops.)
  • The discipline of the Roman soldiery was legendary. (The collective discipline of the Roman soldiers was famous.)
  • A ragged soldiery occupied the town. (A disorganized group of soldiers took control of the town.)

Advanced Usage

• The term often carries a formal or literary tone and is used to emphasize the collective identity, character, or condition of a military force, rather than focusing on individual soldiers.
  • The general was concerned with the morale of the entire soldiery.

Variants and Related Words

• Soldier (n): An individual who serves in an army.
• Soldierly (adj): Having the qualities of a good soldier, such as bravery or discipline.
• Soldiership (n): Military skill or prowess; the qualities of a soldier. (This is a near-archaic synonym for the collective skill or art of soldiering.)

Synonyms

• Troops: Soldiers, especially in organized groups.
• Military forces: The armed forces of a country.
• Army: A large, organized military force trained for ground warfare.

Notes on Meaning

• "Soldiery" is a collective noun. It is typically used with a singular verb when referring to the group as a single entity.
  • The soldiery was deployed to the border.
• It can sometimes imply a specific character or quality of the troops, as seen in phrases like "a mercenary soldiery" or "a professional soldiery."

Noun

1. soldiers collectively