Nonfighter

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person that refrains from violent confrontations or hostilities engages instead in peaceful resolutions or diplomatic efforts while avoiding participation in conflicts
2. A person who chooses not to engage in physical fighting or warfare
3. Someone who deliberately stays out of violent conflicts and does not take part in hostilities

Etymology: "Nonfighter" is one of those words that is simply a prefix bolted onto an everyday noun. The prefix "non-" comes from Latin "non", meaning "not", and has been freely attached to English words for centuries, so "nonfighter" describes someone who is not a fighter, a person who avoids combat or fights. The base word "fighter" comes from the verb "fight", with the agent suffix "-er" marking the person who does the action. The compound adds nothing mysterious: it takes a familiar noun and negates it, producing a plain label for a person who stays out of fights. Its meaning is transparent from its parts, which is why it is so easy to form and understand.

Synonyms: civilian, non-combatant, refuser, peacekeeper, abstainer

Antonyms: fighter, combatant, warrior, soldier, brawler