a person, animal, or group that takes part in a fight, battle, or war
A brave fighter protected the village from invaders.
The two fighters circled each other in the ring, waiting for the bell.
✦ From Middle English fighten + -er, meaning one who fights.
a person who shows great determination and refuses to give up when facing difficulties
Despite the illness, Maria stayed strong—she’s a real fighter.
The small business owner proved to be a fighter during the economic downturn.
✦ Extension of sense ‘one who fights’ to figurative perseverance in early 20th-century English.
a fast military aircraft built mainly for destroying enemy aircraft in combat
The new stealth fighter can evade most radar systems.
Two fighters escorted the transport plane across the border.
✦ Short for “fighter aircraft,” first used in early 20th-century military aviation.
a person trained and employed to extinguish fires, rescue people or animals from fires or other dangerous situations, and reduce damage from fires.
The firefighter climbed up the ladder to rescue the kitten from the burning tree.
She wants to become a firefighter when she grows up.
✦ Mid 20th century: from fire + fighter. Originally two words, later joined as one to emphasize the profession. It replaced the older term 'fireman,' which implied a male-only role.
