buffalo soldier

noun

: an African American soldier serving in the western U.S. after the Civil War

Examples of buffalo soldier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Surviving buildings include barracks for white soldiers and buffalo soldiers, officers' homes, and a veterinary office. Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 17 Apr. 2026 The State of Arizona is proud to honor the memory of the buffalo soldiers. Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 20 Apr. 2024 Before their ultimate confrontation, Borlund fulfills his task to rescue white woman Rachel Kidd (Rachel Brosnahan), supposedly abducted in Arizona by a black buffalo soldier, Elijah Jones (Brandon Scott). Armond White, National Review, 30 Dec. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of buffalo soldier was in 1872

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Cite this Entry

“Buffalo soldier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buffalo%20soldier. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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