franc tireur
/ˌfrɑŋk tɪˈrɜr/
noun
- A person who fights in a war but is not part of a regular army, especially a guerrilla fighter.
- During the Franco-Prussian War, franc-tireurs attacked enemy supply lines.
- Historians still debate the role of franc-tireurs in modern warfare.
- The franc-tireur operated behind enemy lines without a uniform.
- Someone who acts independently or outside of established rules or groups.
- As a political franc-tireur, she never belonged to any party.
- The artist was a franc-tireur of the art scene, refusing to join any movement.
- In the corporate world, he was a franc-tireur, always challenging company policies.