militarism

American  

[mil-i-tuh-riz-uhm] / ˈmɪl ɪ təˌrɪz əm /

noun

1. a strong military spirit or policy.

2. the principle or policy of maintaining a large military establishment.

3. the tendency to regard military efficiency as the supreme ideal of the state and to subordinate all other interests to those of the military.

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militarism British  

/ ˈmɪlɪtəˌrɪzəm /

noun

1. military spirit; pursuit of military ideals

2. domination by the military in the formulation of policies, ideals, etc, esp on a political level

3. a policy of maintaining a strong military organization in aggressive preparedness for war

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Other Word Forms

• antimilitarism noun
• promilitarism adjective

Etymology

Origin of militarism

1860–65; < French militarisme, equivalent to militar- (< Latin mīlitār ( is ) military ) + -isme -ism

Example Sentences

The 1945 bombing of Nagasaki, and Hiroshima before it, brought an end to Imperial Japan’s brutal march across Asia and turned generations of Japanese against the militarism that led their country to ruin.

From The Wall Street Journal

And it plucks a nerve in a country still scarred by its history of militarism.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a pointed historical parallel, Xi also asserted that since China and the U.S. “fought side-by-side against fascism and militarism” during World War II, they should now work together to safeguard those achievements.

From The Wall Street Journal

Beijing’s apoplectic response to Takaichi’s perceived intervention in China’s affairs has included intense personal attacks on the new prime minister, often linking her with the militarism that fueled Japan’s brutal conduct in World War II.

From The Wall Street Journal

King’s critiques of capitalism, militarism and structural racism are often downplayed in most mainstream remembrances, leaving behind a softer image of peaceful dreamer.

From Salon