martial en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈmɑɹʃəl/ (General-American)
- /ˈmɑːʃəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
From Middle English martial, marcial, mercial, mercialle (“relating to war, warlike; military; for use in fighting or warfare; brave, hardy; combative, fierce; ruthless, vicious; domineering, overbearing”), from Middle French martial (modern French martial (“martial”)), or directly from its etymon Latin mārtiālis (“of or pertaining to Mars, the Roman god of war”), from Mārtius (“of or pertaining to Mars”) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship). The English word is cognate with Italian marziale (“martial”), Portuguese marcial (“martial”), Spanish marcial (“martial”).
Meanings
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(comparable) Of, relating to, or suggestive of war; warlike.
But peaceful Kings, o'r martial people ſet, / Each others poize and counter-ballance are.
1667, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, 1666. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, stanza 12, page 4:Sir, if I were to yeeld a reaſon of my preſent preſumption for thus boldly offering vnto your worſhipful view this little hyſtoricall Abridgemẽt of Martiall exploits, by ſundrye moſt famous warriours and renowmed Capitaines long ſince atchieued: [...]
1580, Rutilius Rufus [pseudonym; Thomas Newton], “[The Epistle Dedicatorie]”, in A View of Valyaunce. Describing the Famous Feates, and Martiall Exploites of Two Most Mightie Nations, the Romains and the Carthaginians, for the Conquest and Possession of Spayne. […], imprinted at London: By Thomas East, →OCLC:They [the Dutch] were, however, repelled by the valour of the Engliſh, and the matter is now under a civil deliberation, which makes it improper for a Martial Review.
1763, [Oliver Goldsmith], The Martial Review; or, A General History of the Late Wars; […], London: Printed for J[ohn] Newbery, […], →OCLC, page 170:The captaine he, which climbes for high advaunce, / By piercing blade imbrude in enimies blood, / In martiall ſhewes who formoſt leades the daunce, [...]
1576, George Whetstone, “The Ortchard of Repentance: […]”, in The Rocke of Regard, […], London: […] [H. Middleton] for Robert Waley, →OCLC; republished in J[ohn] P[ayne] Collier, editor, The Rocke of Regard, […] (Illustrations of Early English Poetry; vol. 2, no. 2), London: Privately printed, [1867?], →OCLC, page 216:
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(comparable) Connected with or relating to armed forces or the profession of arms or military life.
He was lying on the table with head pillowed on the broken concertina and body sheltered with the Federal Flag, looking like a martial corpse. He did not wake properly till Blossom dragged him to the tap outside and turned the water on him.
1938, Xavier Herbert, “Dawn of a New Era”, in Capricornia, Sydney, N.S.W.: Angus & Robertson, →OCLC; republished New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton-Century, 1943, →OCLC, page 194:[D]ivers commissions under your Majestie's Greate Seale have issued forth, by which certaine persons have been assigned and appointed commissioners, with power and authoritie to proceed within the land, according to the justice of martiall lawe, against such soulders and marriners, or other dissolute persons joining with them, as should commit any murder, robbery, felonie, meeting, or other outrage or misdemeanour, whatsoever; [...]
1628 June 7, The Petition of Right; republished in Francis Lieber, “Appendix V. The Petition of Right.”, in On Civil Liberty and Self-government, enlarged edition, Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott and Co.; London: Trübner and Co., 1859, →OCLC, page 486:
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(comparable) Characteristic of or befitting a warrior; having a military bearing; soldierly.
Thus near the bard were ſeen / Matrons and men, join'd with the breathleſs ſhades / Of martial heroes and unbearded boys, / And virgins chaſte, or youths beore the eyes / Of their ſad parents, on the pile conſum'd; [...]
[1791], T[homas] May, “The Retreat of Æneas from the Burning City of Troy; or, A Noble Example of Filial, Paternal, and Conjugal Affection. Translated from the Second Book of Virgil’s Æneis.”, in Poems Descriptive and Moral; […], Henley, [Oxfordshire?]: Printed by and for the author; and sold by C. Dilly, […], →OCLC, page 98:With Marſhall ſtalke he paſſed through our watch.
c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shake-speare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and Iohn Trundell, published 1603, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:Martial arts were developed for fighting, but studying them doesn't make the practitioner a hostile individual. In fact, most practitioners are incredibly peaceful.
2015, Noel Plaugher, “Martial Postures”, in Standing Qigong for Health and Martial Arts: Zhan Zhuang, London; Philadelphia, Pa.: Singing Dragon, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, →ISBN, page 91:Ah!—each the pride of Iſrael's martial train, / Now breathleſs, on their native mountains ſlain!
1774 March, Thomas Mytton, “David’s Lamentation for the Deaths of Saul and Jonathan, 2 Samuel c. 1”, in Sylvanus Urban [pseudonym; Edward Cave], editor, The Gentleman’s Magazine, and Historical Chronicle, volume XLIV, London: Printed […], for D[avid] Henry, and sold by F[rancis] Newbery, […], →OCLC, page 136, column 1:His Martial Valour Flanders will confeſs; / And France Regrets his Managing the Peace. / Faithful to England’s Intereſt and her King: / The greateſt Reaſon of our Murmuring.
1701 January (indicated as 1700), [Daniel Defoe], “Part II”, in The True-Born Englishman. A Satyr, [London: s.n.], →OCLC, page 58:Jeffrey Wall, 15, is just as compassionate as he is fierce. The accomplished Tang Soo Do Korean martial artist is helping his community stay fit during the coronavirus pandemic.
2020 June 10, Ashley Vaughan, “This teenage martial artist creates videos to help superhero seniors stay active while in quarantine”, in CNN:
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(not-comparable, obsolete) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Mars.
Venus was placed below Mars; that is, the sensual passion was subjected to martial ardour.
1875, J. A., “ASTROLOGY”, in The Encyclopædia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General Literature, 9th edition, volume II, Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black, →OCLC, page 741, column 2:The Sun to the Quartile or Oppoſition of Mars. This Direction threatens the native with ſome martial Diſeaſe or Infirmity, as Fevers peſtilential, exceſs of Choler and Blood corrupted; it ſheweth danger by Fires, Wounds and Scalds, ill ſucceſs in Affairs, danger by Thieves and Robbers, ill having to do with martial Men, or to deal in martial Affairs; [...]
1682, Joseph Blagrave, “[The Effects of Directions.] The Sun Directed unto Promittors.”, in Obadiah Blagrave, editor, Blagrave’s Introduction to Astrology. In Three Parts. […], London: Printed by E. Tyler, and R. Holt, for Obadiah Blagrave, […], →OCLC, part III, page 251:A martial man is many times full-faced, with a lively, high colour, like sun-burnt, or like raw tanned leather; a fierce countenance, his eyes being sparkling or sharp and darting, and of yellow colour; his hair, both of head and beard, being reddish (but herein you must vary according to the sign).
1852, William Lilly, Zadkiel [pseudonym; Richard James Morrison], “Another Brief Description of the Shapes and Forms of the Planets”, in An Introduction to Astrology […]: A Grammar of Astrology, and Tables for Calculating Nativities. […], London: H[enry] G[eorge] Bohn, […], →OCLC, page 55:
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(not-comparable, obsolete) Of or relating to the planet Mars; Martian.
For, having found out by a careful series of observations, the parts of Mars' orbit where the planet entered upon its various seasons, he [William Herschel] noted that, soon after mid-winter of the northern hemisphere, the northern white spot attained its greatest dimensions, while the southern was reduced to a tiny oval of light; whereas half a Martial year later, the southern spot was at its largest, and the northern a mere speck when compared with its winter appearance.
1869 February 6, “The Planet of War”, in E[neas] S[weetland] Dallas, editor, Once a Week, volume III, number 58 (New Series), London: Bradbury, Evans, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 74, column 1:No naturalist can watch winter and summer come and go on the opposite hemispheres of the martial planet, without feeling that life must have come into being where all the machinery of life is in such perfect working.
1874 September, N[athaniel] S[outhgate] Shaler, “The Moon”, in The Atlantic Monthly: A Magazine of Literature, Science, Art, and Politics, volume XXXIV, number CCIII, Boston, Mass.: H[enry] O[scar] Houghton and Company; New York, N.Y.: Hurd and Houghton […], →OCLC, page 277:[R]ound about the plain / All hid with slaughter'd carcasses, yet still did hotly reign / The martial planet; [...]
[1611?], Homer, “Book IV”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume I, London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC, page 117:
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(not-comparable, obsolete) Containing, or relating to, iron (which was symbolically associated with the planet Mars by alchemists); chalybeate, ferric, ferrous.
This dephlogisticated martial vitriol, as M. [Torbern] Bergman calls it, is often found in nature, particularly in the ores of alum.
1790, Thomas Garnett, “Experiment XI”, in Experiments and Observations on the Horley-Green Spaw, near Halifax. […], Bradford, Yorkshire: Printed for the author, by George Nicholson; and sold by T. Knott, […], →OCLC, page 28:martial preparations martial flowers (a reddish crystalline salt of iron)
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| martiall | alternative | lexicographic | |
| Martial | alternative | lexicographic | |
| most martial | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more martial | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
martial eagle · martial law · martially · nonmartial · antimartial · martialize · martiality · martialist · immartial · martialism · court martial · martial artist · unmartial · martialness · martial art
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (62)
fi sotainen (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · sv krigslik (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · bg вое́нен (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · hu harcias (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · pt marcial (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · pt soldadesco (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · fi sota- (relating to or connected with armed forces or military life) · hu harci (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · hu háborús (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · de militärisch (relating to or connected with armed forces or military life) · pl wojenny (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · tr askerî (relating to or connected with armed forces or military life) · hu hadi (relating to or connected with armed forces or military life) · bg военен (relating to or connected with armed forces or military life) · cs bojový (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · fi raudan- (containing, or relating to iron) · ka საბრძოლო (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · el πολεμικός (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · fi rauta- (containing, or relating to iron) · fi sotaisa (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · ga míleata (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · es marcial (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · fr martial (relating to or connected with armed forces or military life) · sv krigisk (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · de kampflustig (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · fi rautapitoinen (containing, or relating to iron) · es castrense (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · la bellax (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · ga badhbha (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · tr savaşçıl (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · ru боево́й (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · fr martial (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · ca marcial (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · hu marciális (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · uk військо́вий (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · mk воен (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · fi sotilaallinen (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · hu délceg (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · it marziale (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · pt marcial (relating to or connected with armed forces or military life) · uk воє́нний (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · enm marcyan (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · ru вое́нный (relating to or connected with armed forces or military life) · pt bélico (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · de kriegerisch (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · de soldatisch (relating to or connected with armed forces or military life) · fi sotilas- (relating to or connected with armed forces or military life) · ru во́инский (relating to or connected with armed forces or military life) · tr savaşçıl (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · bg войнствен (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · fr martial (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · hu katonás (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · es soldadesco (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · es marcial (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · be вае́нны (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · de soldatisch (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · de martialisch (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · pt marcial (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · ru вое́нный (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · sv martialisk (of, relating to, or suggestive of war — see also warlike) · de kriegerisch (characteristic of or befitting a warrior) · ru во́инский (characteristic of or befitting a warrior)