Definition of "noncombatant" []

• A member of the armed forces, such as a chaplain or surgeon, whose duties lie outside combat. (noun)
• A civilian in wartime, especially one in a war zone. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• ""the term noncombatant is interpreted to include, in addition to civilians, read US military personnel who at the time of the incident are unarmed and/or not on duty.""
• "While the vast majority of contractor personnel were involved in noncombatant logistics tasks, DOD estimated there were over 20,000 armed contractors in Iraq during 2007."
• "But Tony, putting this military planning team on the ground at the Embassy is pretty typical of the next step in what the military calls a noncombatant evacuation."