What does unsoldierly mean?
Unsoldierly is an uncommon English adjective meaning not soldierlike, especially not displaying the courage, steadiness, or resolve expected of a soldier. In older and literary usage it commonly implies cowardice rather than merely a lack of military polish: a person's unsoldierly flight from danger or evasive excuses can be described with that word. Because the term is rare in contemporary English, modern speakers would usually say cowardly, timid, or simply not soldierlike. Its formation is transparent: the negative prefix un- is attached to soldierly, producing the opposite of a soldierly quality. The word is chiefly encountered in dictionaries, quotation, and older prose, where its strongly judgmental tone is clearer than in neutral modern descriptions. It remains useful chiefly as a vivid, slightly archaic way to characterize conduct that falls conspicuously short of a soldier's expected courage.
adjectiveNot soldierlike in conduct or bearing; lacking the courage or resolve associated with a soldier.
- Not soldierlike; lacking soldierly courage, resolve, or conduct.
"His unsoldierly flight from the fight, leaving his men to face the enemy alone, brought lasting shame upon him."
"The troops jeered at his unsoldierly hesitation when the order to advance was given."
"In private correspondence, she called his apology for abandoning the post an unsoldierly display of cowardice."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unsoldierly come from?
Unsoldierly is an English formation made by joining un- to soldierly, an adjective built from soldier and the suffix -ly. The older English noun soldier entered Middle English from Old French, while the negative adjective belongs to the same English word family and has long meant 'not soldier-like,' especially 'cowardly.' Related forms include soldiering and soldierly.
How unsoldierly is actually used
Rare, archaic, or literary. In established usage, the word normally carries a strong implication of cowardice and is not merely a neutral way of saying 'not military.'