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martial art

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noun

Often martial arts. any of the traditional forms of Asian self-defense or combat that utilize physical skill and coordination without weapons, as karate, aikido, judo, or kung fu, often practiced as sport.

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RELATED WORDS

karate, wrestling, judo, aikido, jujitsu, kendo

Nearby words

  1. martha,
  2. martha washington chair,
  3. martha washington table,
  4. martha's vineyard,
  5. martial,
  6. martial arts,
  7. martial law,
  8. martially,
  9. martian,
  10. martin
Related formsmartial artist, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for martial arts

martial art

noun

any of various philosophies of self-defence and techniques of single combat, such as judo or karate, originating in the Far East
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for martial arts

martial arts

n.

1909, translating Japanese bujutsu; see martial.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper