in·fan·try [infantryinfantries] BrE [ˈɪnfəntri] NAmE [ˈɪnfəntri] noun countable singular or plural verb soldiers who fight on foot •infantry units •The infantry was/were guarding the bridge.
Word Origin: late 16th cent.: from French infanterie, from Italian infanteria, from infante ‘youth, infantryman’, from Latin infant- ‘unable to speak’, from in- ‘not’ fant- ‘speaking’ (from the verb fari).