martial art

American  

noun

1. 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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martial art British  

noun

1. any of various philosophies of self-defence and techniques of single combat, such as judo or karate, originating in the Far East

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• martial artist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of martial art

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

The first time Weston broke his back it ended a promising career in the martial art for the 28-year-old, but bizarrely it turned out to be a blessing.

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

Singh has a long association with taekwondo and has taught the martial art for years.

From BBC • Feb. 10, 2026

Classes included economics and English, as well as meditation, calligraphy and kendo, a martial art.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

It’s a traditional Japanese martial art form that is pretty intense and aggressive.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2024

“Are you any good at it? That’s a tough martial art to master.”

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

Related Words

• judo
• karate
• wrestling