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flanker

flanker

1 8.5
A soldier at the side of a group who watches for enemy movement
  • noun
  • /ˈflæŋkər/
  • Jargon
translation icon : flanqueador

Examples

  • Flankers out left and right.

  • Send out advanced guards and flankers.

  • However, the addition of a few fast cruiser tanks to act as forward scouts and mobile flankers would definitely not be a bad thing.

    Blog text (12)
  • The soldiers assigned as flankers carefully monitored the sides of the formation during the nighttime operation.

  • To ensure the safety of the unit, we deployed flankers to guard against any surprise attacks from the sides.

  • In the training exercise, each unit was instructed to pair their main formation with flankers positioned on both ends.

Synonyms

trooper
vsflanker
18 5.8

A soldier who fights in tanks or armored vehicles

is a soldier assigned specifically to guard the sides of a formation

Compounds

flanker back
  • Jargon
7.7

An American football player who stands near the sideline to catch passes

Surface Forms

flanker singular
flankers plural

Morphology

flanker = flank (transparent) = flank + er

This is a regular agent noun meaning one who flanks or guards the sides of a formation.

Etymology

Flanker comes from flank 'side' and -er 'one who'. It originally named a soldier placed on the side of an army to watch and protect the flank, which is why a flanker means someone guarding the side of a formation today.