Gefreiter ([ɡəˈfraɪ̯tɐ], abbr. Gefr.; plural Gefreite, English: private, in the military context) is a German, Swiss and Austrian military rank that has existed since the 16th ...
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century. It is usually the second rank or grade to which an enlisted soldier, airman or sailor could be promoted.
The word has also been lent into the Russian language Yefreytor (Russian: ефрейтор) and is in use in several Russian and post-Soviet militaries.