martial

¹ American  

[mahr-shuhl] / ˈmɑr ʃəl /

adjective

1. inclined or disposed to war; warlike.

   The ancient Romans were a martial people.

2. of, suitable for, or associated with war or the armed forces.

   martial music.

   Synonyms:

   soldierly, military

3. characteristic of or befitting a warrior.

   a martial stride.

---

Martial ² American  

[mahr-shuhl] / ˈmɑr ʃəl /

noun

1. Marcus Valerius Martialis, a.d. 43?–104?, Roman epigrammatist, born in Spain.

---

Martial ¹ British  

/ ˈmɑːʃəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to Mars

---

Martial ² British  

/ ˈmɑːʃəl /

noun

1. full name Marcus Valerius Martialis. ?40–?104 _ad , Latin epigrammatist and poet, born in Spain

---

martial ³ British  

/ ˈmɑːʃəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of war, soldiers, or the military life

---

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

• martialism noun
• martialist noun
• martially adverb
• martialness noun
• nonmartial adjective
• nonmartially adverb
• nonmartialness noun
• unmartial adjective

Etymology

Origin of martial

1325–75; Middle English < Latin Mārtiālis of, belonging to Mars, equivalent to Mārti- (stem of Mārs ) + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

He needs to see to compete in capoeira martial arts competitions and surf on the weekends, his mother said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

New legislation should however, take into account people who use knives for "legitimate" reasons, such as for use in martial arts.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Senators voted 54-45 for 48-year-old Republican Mullin, a former wrestler and martial arts fighter who previously served as a senator for Oklahoma.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

One of America’s most famous martial artists, and certainly the most frequently memed, Norris leveraged his black belt skills to build a successful television and film career.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026

Jule had seen a guy do that once, in a martial arts gym.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart