martial

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See also: Martial

English[edit]

WOTD – 22 September 2019

Etymology[edit]

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”),[1] 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”).[2]

Pronunciation[edit]

Adjective[edit]

martial (comparative more martial, superlative most martial)

  1. (comparable) Of, relating to, or suggestive of war; warlike.
    • 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:
      The captaine he, which climbes for high advaunce, / By piercing blade imbrude in enimies blood, / In martiall ſhewes who formoſt leades the daunce, [...]
    • 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:
      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: [...]
    • 1668, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, M. DC. LXVI. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, stanza 12, page 4:
      But peaceful Kings, o'r martial people ſet, / Each others poize and counter-ballance are.
    • 1763, [Oliver Goldsmith], The Martial Review; or, A General History of the Late Wars; […], London: Printed for J[ohn] Newbery, […], →OCLC, page 170:
      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.
  2. (comparable) Connected with or relating to armed forces or the profession of arms or military life.
    • 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:
      [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; [...]
    • 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:
      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.
  3. (comparable) Characteristic of or befitting a warrior; having a military bearing; soldierly.
    Synonyms: soldierlike, warriorlike
  4. (not comparable, astrology, obsolete) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Mars.
    • 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:
      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; [...]
    • 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:
      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).
    • 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:
      Venus was placed below Mars; that is, the sensual passion was subjected to martial ardour.
  5. (not comparable, astronomy, obsolete) Of or relating to the planet Mars; Martian.
  7. (not comparable, chemistry, medicine, obsolete) Containing, or relating to, iron (which was symbolically associated with the planet Mars by alchemists); chalybeate, ferric, ferrous.
    martial preparations martial flowers (a reddish crystalline salt of iron)
    • 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:
      This dephlogisticated martial vitriol, as M. [Torbern] Bergman calls it, is often found in nature, particularly in the ores of alum.

Alternative forms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

of or relating to the planet Mars — see Martian
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun[edit]

martial (plural martials)

  1. (obsolete) A soldier, a warrior.
    • c. 1850, Eugène Sue, “The Conversation”, in Charles Rochford, transl., The Mysteries of Paris, Translated from the French, London: Charles Daly, […], →OCLC, part II, page 213:
      The martials (this is the name of my pirates) will pass in her eyes for an honest family of fishermen; I will go on your account, and make two or three visits to your young lady; I will order her certain potions, and at the end of eight days she will make acquaintance with the cemetery of Asnieres.
  2. (astrology, obsolete) A celestial object under the astrological influence of the planet Mars.
  3. (chiefly science fiction, obsolete) Synonym of Martian (“inhabitant of the planet Mars”)

Alternative forms[edit]

Translations[edit]

soldier, warrior — see soldier,‎ warrior
synonym of Martian — see Martian

References[edit]

  1. ^ “marciāl, adj.(1)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 29 March 2019.
  2. ^ “martial, adj. and n.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2000; “martial1, adj.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Dalmatian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Inherited from Latin martellus.

Noun[edit]

martial

  1. hammer

References[edit]

  • Bartoli, Matteo Giulio (1906) Il Dalmatico: Resti di un’antica lingua romanza parlata da Veglia a Ragusa e sua collocazione nella Romània appenino-balcanica, Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, published 2000

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin martiālis (“of Mars, the Roman god of war”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Adjective[edit]

martial (feminine martiale, masculine plural martiaux, feminine plural martiales)

  1. martial

Derived terms[edit]

Further reading[edit]

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