noun
grenadier; grenade thrower
Historical military term for a soldier who throws grenades, especially in early modern European armies. Rare in modern Japanese outside historical or military contexts.
擲弾兵は17世紀のヨーロッパで重要な兵種だった。
Grenadiers were an important type of soldier in 17th-century Europe.
手榴弾 refers to the hand grenade itself, while 擲弾兵 refers to the soldier who throws it.
Compound of 擲弾 (throwing a grenade) and 兵 (soldier). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term likely entered Japanese as a translation of European military terminology.