Fighting company with maiden flyer and soldier (9)
I believe the answer is:
combatant
'fighting' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'company with maiden flyer and soldier' is the wordplay.
'company' becomes 'co' (abbreviation).
'with maiden' becomes 'm' (cricket abbreviation. I am not sure about the 'with' bit.).
'flyer' becomes 'bat' (bats can fly).
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'soldier' becomes 'ant' (soldier is a type of ant).
'co'+'m'+'bat'+'ant'='COMBATANT'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for combatant that I've seen before include "Soldier" , "Belligerent" , "Person engaged in fighting" , "one involved in fighting" , "Fighter" .)