A Carabinier (also sometimes spelled Carabineer or Carbineer) (Carabinero in Spanish, Carabiniere in Italian) was originally a cavalry soldier armed with a carbine (a short version of a musket). The word is derived from the identical French word carabinier. The carbine was considered a more appropriate firearm for a horseman than a full-length musket, since it was lighter and easier to handle while on horseback. The term carabinier evolved to include other units such as light infantry and gendarmes. Today the term is used by some armies, police, and gendarmeries.