noun
dragoon
A soldier in a historical mounted military unit.
The dragoon dismounts and joins the other soldiers on foot.
Etymology
The mounted soldier’s name is traditionally connected with the dragon, a firearm carried by such troops. The weapon’s name transferred to the soldiers using it.
More examples
- A company of dragoons guarded the road to the fort.
- The young dragoon checks his saddle before the patrol.
- The museum displays a uniform once worn by a dragoon.
Forms
dragoon · dragoons
Similar words
- cavalryman
- Emphasizes fighting on horseback rather than also serving on foot.
- trooper
- Refers broadly to a cavalry soldier, not specifically a dragoon.