Soldieries

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Remuneration or wages paid to military personnel for their service ; the sum of money or compensation given to soldiers as a form of reward or salary ; the financial payment granted to individuals serving in the armed forces for their duties and commitment
2. The compensation or pay given to members of an army for their military duties ; the monetary amount awarded to soldiers as recognition for their service ; the salary or stipend paid to military members as part of their employment benefits
3. Earnings or financial recompense provided to soldiers as part of their military service ; the regular payment or reward given to those enlisted in the armed forces ; the remuneration or wages offered to individuals engaged in soldiering activities

Etymology: The term "soldieries" is an archaic plural form related to the word "soldiery," which denotes the body of soldiers or the collective military force. The root of this word lies in the Middle English period, deriving from the Old French "soldierie," which itself came from "soldier," a term meaning a person who serves in an army. Tracing back, "soldier" originates from the Old French "soudier" or "soldier," which was connected to the Medieval Latin "soldarius," meaning "one having pay," from "solda" or "solidus," a type of Roman coin. This etymology highlights how the concept of a soldier was intimately tied to the idea of paid service — a person who fights for a salary rather than feudal obligation or other reasons. The suffix "-y" in "soldiery" functions to form a collective noun, turning the individual "soldier" into a mass noun indicating the group or class. Adding an "-s" to form "soldieries" was a way to create a plural form when referring to multiple groups or bodies of soldiers, though this pluralization is now obsolete and rarely encountered in modern English. The use of "soldieries" appears in older texts from the 16th and 17th centuries, reflecting the period's linguistic flexibility and the evolving nature of military terminology. Over time, "soldiery" became the standard collective noun, and the plural form faded from common usage, leaving the singular form as the preferred term to describe armed forces collectively. Thus, the history of this term connects not only to the practical realities of military service and pay but also to the linguistic shifts in forming collective nouns and their plurals during the Early Modern English period.