Martial

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈmɑːʃəl/

Definitions

1. Related to war, combat, or military affairs
2. Connected with armed forces or warfare and activities related to combat
3. Associated with soldiers, fighting, and military operations or discipline

Etymology: Mars was the Roman god of war, and "martial" is simply the Latin adjective for things belonging to him: "mārtiālis," built from "Mārtius" ("of Mars") plus the common adjective-forming suffix "-ālis." Through Middle French "martial," it reached English in the Middle Ages, when it already meant warlike, fierce, or ready for battle. The English sense has stayed close to that original idea. "Martial" still describes military matters, as in court-martial, martial law, and martial arts, but it can also describe a person who is combative or domineering. The same Latin root produced cognates in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, all meaning roughly the same thing.

Synonyms: military, warlike, combat, belligerent, fighting

Antonyms: peaceful, nonviolent, civilian, pacifist, diplomatic