combat
[ verb kuhm-bat, kom-bat, kuhm-; noun kom-bat, kuhm- ]
/ verb kəmˈbæt, ˈkɒm bæt, ˈkʌm-; noun ˈkɒm bæt, ˈkʌm- /
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verb (used with object), com·bat·ed, com·bat·ing or (especially British) com·bat·ted, com·bat·ting.
to fight or contend against; oppose vigorously: to combat crime.
verb (used without object), com·bat·ed, com·bat·ing or (especially British) com·bat·ted, com·bat·ting.
to battle; contend: to combat with disease.
noun
Military. active, armed fighting with enemy forces.
a fight, struggle, or controversy, as between two persons, teams, or ideas.
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Origin of combat
1535–45; <Middle French combat (noun), combattre (v.) <Late Latin combattere, equivalent to Latin com-com- + Late Latin battere, for Latin battuere to strike, beat
synonym study for combat
3. See fight
OTHER WORDS FROM combat
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use combat in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for combat
combat
noun (ˈkɒmbæt, -bət, ˈkʌm-)
a fight, conflict, or struggle
- an action fought between two military forces
- (as modifier)a combat jacket
single combat a fight between two individuals; duel
close combat or hand-to-hand combat fighting at close quarters
verb (kəmˈbæt, ˈkɒmbæt, ˈkʌm-) -bats, -bating or -bated
(tr) to fight or defy
(intr; often foll by with or against) to struggle or strive (against); be in conflict (with)to combat against disease
Derived forms of combat
combatable, adjectivecombater, nounWord Origin for combat
C16: from French, from Old French combattre, from Vulgar Latin combattere (unattested), from Latin com- with + battuere to beat, hit
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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