Meaning
infantryman
- infantryman, foot soldier
- jack, knave (playing cards)
In a sentence
Il fante ha camminato tutto il giorno.
The infantryman walked all day.
Hai il fante di cuori in mano?
Do you have the jack of hearts in your hand?
I fanti avanzavano lentamente verso la collina.
The infantrymen were advancing slowly toward the hill.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| fante | masculine · singular |
| fanti | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Mostly literary, historical, or fixed expressions. For a modern soldier, say soldato or fante di fanteria only in formal military contexts.
- In card games, fante means the jack. Do not confuse it with cavallo and re, which are different face cards in Italian decks.
- The 'servant/maid' senses are archaic. Use domestico, domestica, servo, or serva only in historical or literary settings.