Sapper

Definitions

1. A combat engineer; an engineer or a soldier engaged in attacking, destroying, and circumventing or building fortifications, bridges, and roads; a military engineer active in a combat zone.
2. An officer or private of the Royal Engineers.
   British, colloquial

Equivalents

Examples

“his knowledge of Arabic and freedom from the theories of the ordinary sapper-school enabled him to teach⟳ the art of demolition to unlettered Beduin in a quick and ready way.”

“A vast minefield trapped Ukrainian troops for weeks as infantry sappers slowly cleared an assault route on foot.”

“By a remarkable piece of railway reconstruction work⟳ on the part of the Allied Forces—mainly South African railway construction troops—mines laid along the track by the retreating enemy were removed by sappers, and the German damage⟳ made good, within 7 days.”

“Billinge, from St Austell, was one of the first soldiers to land⟳ on 'Gold' beach on June 6 1944. He was a sapper attached to the 44 Royal Engineer Commandos and was one of only four to survive⟳ from his unit.”

CEFR level