1. a cavalry soldier wearing a cuirass (a piece of armor covering the chest and back)
Usage: historical; typically refers to European mounted soldiers from the 16th–19th centuries

Examples

• The French cuirassiers charged across the battlefield on horseback.
• Cuirassiers were heavily armored and served as elite cavalry units in many European armies.
• The museum displayed a cuirassier's polished breastplate and helmet.
• During the Napoleonic Wars, cuirassiers played a crucial role in cavalry tactics.
• The cuirassier's armor made him both formidable and slow-moving in combat.