What is an old fashioned word for soldier?

Echoes of the Battlefield: Historic Nicknames for Soldiers

Long before the term G.I. became standard shorthand for American servicemen during World War II, combatants across the globe carried colorful regional titles coined by their peers and countryfolk. During World War I, American infantrymen marching through European mud were affectionately dubbed Doughboys, a moniker with roots tracing back to earlier conflict eras, possibly referring to the dust-covered troops of the Mexican-American War or the pipe-clay buttons on their uniforms.

Across the English Channel, British infantry troops were famously known as Tommies. This classic nickname stemmed from "Tommy Atkins," a generic placeholder name used on official British Army paperwork as far back as the early 19th century. Meanwhile, the resilient French infantrymen earned the term Poilus, literally meaning "hairy ones." This nickname celebrated the unkempt, bearded appearance of men enduring the brutal, wet conditions of trench warfare, serving as a badge of rugged endurance and courage.

These informal handles did more than just label soldiers; they forged a strong sense of shared identity, camaraderie, and military folklore that still echoes through history today.