standing army

noun

1. a permanently organized military force maintained by a nation.

standing army

noun

1. a permanent army of paid soldiers maintained by a nation

Word History and Origins

Origin of standing army¹

First recorded in 1595–1605

Example Sentences

Today the country has its smallest standing army since the Napoleonic wars.

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Israel has a relatively small standing army and relies on its reservists during times of war.

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Thousands of soldiers marched through downtown Pyongyang in the parade, a relatively small contingent representing the roughly 1.2 million troops of one of the world’s largest standing armies.

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While permanent standing armies existed since World War I, military spending was now central to both industrial strength and economic prosperity.

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It appears that the country's leader Kim Jong Un has directed much of his limited resources into missiles and nuclear weapons rather than his standing army.

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