noncombatant

noun

non·​com·​bat·​ant ˌnän-kəm-ˈba-tᵊnt How to pronounce noncombatant (audio)
also
ˌnän-ˈkäm-bə-tənt How to pronounce noncombatant (audio)
: one that does not engage in combat: such as
a
: a member (such as a chaplain) of the armed forces whose duties do not include fighting
b
noncombatant adjective

Examples of noncombatant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web He is accused of shooting dead a noncombatant in a wheat field in Uruzgan province in 2012. Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2024 Israel has blamed civilian deaths in Gaza on Hamas, saying the group endangers noncombatants by using schools and residential neighborhoods as bases for operations. CBS News, 10 Aug. 2024 More than 500 people in Lebanon have been killed by Israeli strikes since Oct. 8, most of them fighters with Hezbollah and other armed groups but also including about 100 civilians and noncombatants. Kareem Chehayeb and Mohammad Zaatari, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2024 In poorly sited and badly run camps, tens of thousands of noncombatants died. Andrea Pitzer, Scientific American, 23 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for noncombatant 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'noncombatant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of noncombatant was in 1811

Dictionary Entries Near noncombatant

Cite this Entry

“Noncombatant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/noncombatant. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

noncombatant

noun
non·​com·​ba·​tant
ˌnän-kəm-ˈbat-ᵊnt,
(ˈ)nän-ˈkäm-bət-ənt
1
: a member (as a chaplain) of the armed forces whose duties do not include fighting
2
noncombatant adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on noncombatant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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