martial
adjective
inclined or disposed to war; warlike.
martial
1 American
[mahr-shuhl]
/ ˈmɑr ʃəl /
Martial
2
American
[mahr-shuhl]
/ ˈmɑr ʃəl /
noun
Martial
1
British
/ ˈmɑːʃəl /
adjective
Martial
2
British
/ ˈmɑːʃəl /
noun
martial
3
British
/ ˈmɑːʃəl /
adjective
Usage
What does martial mean? Martial means relating to war, combat, or military life. It’s most commonly used in the phrases martial arts, martial law, and court-martial. Less commonly, martial can mean warlike or characteristic of a warrior. Example: Most marches originated as martial music that was used to help soldiers march.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of martial
1325–75; Middle English < Latin Mārtiālis of, belonging to Mars, equivalent to Mārti- (stem of Mārs ) + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
An adjective referring to the military, the word martial adds a warlike tone to any noun it describes. The word martial derives from Mars, the Roman god of war. It refers to almost much anything military, including "martial law," in which the government orders the military to administer the law. The word definitely makes one think of fighting, as in the physical discipline known as the martial arts. But there is a lighter side to the word, too. Martial music, usually associated with the military, is usually bright and inspiring.
Vocabulary lists containing martial
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He said he had asked White to bring with him several current and former mixed martial arts fighters as "assistants".
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2026
As a child, Chin practiced violin for an hour a day—staring out the window into the woods and wishing he was there—followed by two hours of swimming and two hours of martial arts before homework.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
The victim was identified as Pengo Bossio Wangi, a 26-year-old of African origin who was an up-and-coming mixed martial arts fighter.
From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026
Metallica locked into the martial imagery around “The Shortest Straw,” “Sad But True” and the MTV-era hit “The Memory Remains.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
However, now that martial law has been declared and the national guard has been activated, Alyce has been called on to airlift drinking water to evacuation centers.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
His demand for Anthony Martial to be sold had been rejected, while record signing Paul Pogba was proving a problem.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Le Porge's mayor Martial Zaninetti said the fire could have been started by a machine used to clear forest track but this is yet to be officially confirmed.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Martial arts films portray competition as a means of pushing your opponent to do better, to go further.
From Salon ● May 31, 2026
Martial doesn’t set out what the role of the women he mentions might have been.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026
Masks, in particular, revere the Augurs, for it is the Augurs who decide which Martial children will attend Blackcliff.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
