militant
[mil-i-tuh nt]
- vigorously active and aggressive, especially in support of a cause: militant reformers.
- engaged in warfare; fighting.
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- a militant person.
- a person engaged in warfare or combat.
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Origin of militant
Synonyms
See more synonyms for militant on Thesaurus.com1. belligerent, combative, contentious. See fanatic.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for militant
Contemporary Examples
At least one child in CAR has been killed or gravely injured per day, and 10,000 have been recruited into militant groups.
This led to the formation of a Christian militant group to counter the rebels, and all-out sectarian violence exploded.
The hostage is the only American woman held by the militant group.
Allying themselves with the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, some Lebanese Christians are standing their ground against ISIS.
He was in New York only a couple of week ago, speaking at the United Nations, where he denounced “militant Islam.”
Historical Examples
Might I ask why this sudden interest in the militant laboring ladies?
An American SuffragetteIsaac N. Stevens
The emotions of the militant Federalists were too various to admit of description.
Union and DemocracyAllen Johnson
To these images and values he conformed, not submissively, but with a militant enthusiasm.
Erik DornBen Hecht
Their militant social democracy was at once comical and corrective.
A Daughter of the Middle BorderHamlin Garland
"Darwinismus" became the battle-cry of the militant spirits of that time.
Form and FunctionE. S. (Edward Stuart) Russell
militant
- aggressive or vigorous, esp in the support of a causea militant protest
- warring; engaged in warfare
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- a militant person
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Word Origin
C15: from Latin mīlitāre to be a soldier, from mīles soldier
Militant
- short for Militant Tendency
- a member of Militant Tendency
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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 militant
adj.
early 15c., "fighting, engaged in warfare," from Middle French militant "fighting," from Latin militantem (nominative militans), present participle of militare "serve as a soldier" (see militate), originally especially in Church militant. Related: Militantly.
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n.
"one engaged in war or strife," c.1600, from militant (adj.); in a political sense, it is attested by 1907.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper