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military law

American

noun

the body of laws relating to the government of the armed forces; rules and regulations for the conduct of military personnel.

military law British

noun

articles or regulations that apply to those belonging to the armed services Compare martial law

"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

Etymology

Origin of military law

First recorded in 1730–40

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.

But U.S. military law also requires them to disobey “unlawful orders.”

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

On Nov. 24, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Pentagon was investigating whether Kelly, a retired Navy captain and combat pilot, had violated military law with the video.

From Salon • Dec. 1, 2025

Under U.S. military law, all orders “may be inferred to be lawful,” with an exception only for “patently illegal orders.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

A little-known provision of US military law governs the president's authority to deploy the National Guard on his own.

From BBC • Oct. 6, 2025

The ministry of war is divided into branches for infantry, cavalry, &c.—and services for special subjects such as military law, explosives, health, &c.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 7 "Fox, George" to "France" by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023