trooper

The story

1. French · derived fromtroupe
2. English todaytrooper

From troop + -er, from French troupe. The sense of “one who endures adversity” comes from trouper (“member of an acting troupe”) but through assimilation with the sense of “soldier” has come to be usually spelled “trooper”.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 1640 A soldier of private rank in cavalry or armor.
• from 1911 Ellipsis of state trooper.
• from 1858 A mounted policeman.
• from 1959 Misspelling of trouper (“one who stoically endures adversity”) .