men regarded as expendable because they are part of a huge army
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
can′non fod′der,
- Militarysoldiers, esp. infantrymen, who run the greatest risk of being wounded or killed in warfare.
- 1890–95
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'cannon fodder' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):