Editing Infantry (section)

== Etymology and terminology ==
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2021}}

[[File:Tafel Io.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Various infantry of the 17th through 18th century ([[halberdier]], [[arquebus]]ier, [[pikeman]], and mix of [[musketeer]]s and [[grenadier]]s) of [[Duchy of Württemberg]]|left]]

In English, use of the term ''infantry'' began about the 1570s, describing [[soldier]]s who march and fight on foot. The word derives from [[Middle French]] {{Lang|frm|infanterie}}, from older Italian (also Spanish) ''infanteria'' (foot soldiers too inexperienced for cavalry), from Latin ''[[wikt:infans|īnfāns]]'' (without speech, newborn, foolish), from which English also gets ''[[wikt:infant|infant]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Infantry|url=http://www.etymonline.com/word/infantry|website=Online Etymology Dictionary|access-date=17 October 2017}}</ref> The individual-soldier term ''infantryman'' was not coined until 1837.<ref>{{cite web|title=Infantryman|url=http://www.etymonline.com/word/infantryman|website=Online Etymology Dictionary|access-date=17 October 2017}}</ref> In modern usage, foot soldiers of any era are now considered infantry and infantrymen.<ref>{{cite web|title=Infantry|url=http://www.dictionary.com/browse/infantry|website=Dictionary.com|access-date=17 October 2017}}</ref>

From the mid-18th century until 1881, the [[British Army]] named its infantry as numbered regiments "of Foot" to distinguish them from [[cavalry]] and [[dragoon]] regiments (see [[List of regiments of foot|List of Regiments of Foot]]).{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

Infantry equipped with special weapons were often named after that weapon, such as [[grenadier]]s for their [[grenade]]s, or [[fusilier]]s for their ''fusils''. These names can persist long after the weapon speciality; examples of infantry units that retained such names are the [[Royal Irish Fusiliers]] and the [[Grenadier Guards]].

[[Dragoon]]s were created as [[mounted infantry]], with horses for travel between battles; they were still considered infantry since they dismounted before combat. However, if [[light cavalry]] was lacking in an army, any available dragoons might be assigned their duties; this practice increased over time, and dragoons eventually received all the weapons and training as both infantry and cavalry, and could be classified as both. Conversely, starting about the mid-19th century, regular cavalry have been forced to spend more of their time dismounted in combat due to the ever-increasing effectiveness of enemy infantry firearms. Thus most cavalry transitioned to mounted infantry. As with grenadiers, the ''dragoon'' and ''cavalry'' designations can be retained long after their horses, such as in the [[Royal Dragoon Guards]], [[Royal Lancers]], and [[King's Royal Hussars]].{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

[[File:M2 loading.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Infantry of the [[3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment]] of the [[United States Army]] boarding an [[M2 Bradley]] IFV in [[Iraq]] in 2006]]

Similarly, [[motorised infantry]] have trucks and other unarmed vehicles for non-combat movement, but are still infantry since they leave their vehicles for any combat. Most modern infantry have vehicle transport, to the point where infantry being motorised is generally assumed, and the few exceptions might be identified as modern ''light infantry''. [[Mechanised infantry]] go beyond motorised, having transport vehicles with combat abilities, [[armoured personnel carrier]]s (APCs), providing at least some options for combat without leaving their vehicles. In modern infantry, some APCs have evolved to be [[infantry fighting vehicle]]s (IFVs), which are transport vehicles with more substantial combat abilities, approaching those of [[light tank]]s. Some well-equipped mechanised infantry can be designated as ''armoured infantry''. Given that infantry forces typically also have some tanks, and given that most armoured forces have more mechanised infantry units than tank units in their organisation, the distinction between mechanised infantry and armour forces has blurred.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}