martinet
Americannoun
-
a strict disciplinarian, especially a military one.
-
someone who stubbornly adheres to methods or rules.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of martinet
1670–80; after General Jean Martinet (died 1672), French inventor of a system of drill
Explanation
Use the noun martinet to describe someone who is a stickler when it comes to following rules, such as the teacher who won't accept homework if it is written in a color other than blue. Pronounce martinet with the accent on the last syllable: "mar-ti-NET." Jean Martinet, the man for whom the word was coined, would insist you say his name correctly. He was a legendary drillmaster for the French army during the reign of Louis XIV. In 1779, a hundred years after Martinet's death, martinet came to mean any officer who was as strict and demanding in adhering to the rules as Martinet himself.
Vocabulary lists containing martinet
Unit 1: Telling Details
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
All Quiet on the Western Front
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Francis was a remarkable martinet, acting as the club’s traveling secretary and business manager.
From New York Times • Aug. 23, 2021
Her father, an elegant, temperamental martinet, was controlling when he wasn’t completely absent.
From Slate • Feb. 15, 2021
Bedecked in a three-piece suit and gripping a baseball bat in his hands, he struck the stance of a martinet for a portrait that ran on the cover of Time magazine in 1988.
From Washington Post • Dec. 30, 2020
Roberts, a flinty, fastidious martinet with a hardscrabble background and a knack for making himself indispensable to powerful men, befriended Jones and took up the cause.
From The New Yorker • Jun. 14, 2019
No martinet in the system could have put as much spit-and-polish into a surface as those robots had.
From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov
Definitions 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.
