Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SOL'DIER, n. [sōljur; Fr. soldat; Norm. soudeyer, soudiers; It. soldato; Sp. soldado; from L. solidus, a piece of money; the pay of a soldier; Norm. soud, contracted from sould, pay, wages; soudoyer, to keep in pay; Sw. besolda, to count out money to, to pay; Dan. besolder, to give a salary or wages.]

1. A man engaged in military service; one whose occupation is military; a man enlisted for service in an army; a private, or one in the ranks. There ought to be some time for sober reflection between the life of a soldier and his death. – Rambler.
2. A man enrolled for service, when on duty or embodied for military discipline; a private; as, a militia soldier.
3. Emphatically, a brave warrior; a man of military experience and skill, or a man of distinguished valor. In this sense, an officer of any grade may be denominated a soldier. – Shak.