Friday word: Martial

[med_cat]

martial adjective mar·tial \ˈmär-shəl\

: of or relating to war or soldiers

1: of, relating to, or suited for war or a warrior
2: relating to an army or to military life
3: experienced in or inclined to war : warlike

Examples:

martial law, court martial

"...Not from the grand old masters,
Not from the bards sublime,
Whose distant footsteps echo
In the corridors of Time;

For, like strains of martial music,
Their mighty thoughts suggest
Life's endless toil and endeavor,
And to-night I long for rest."...

(from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "The Day Is Done")


Etymology:

Middle English, from Latin martialis of Mars, from Mart-, Mars (the god of war)

First Known Use: 14th century

Comments

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

Very nice, I like how you made an example of it!

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

Agreed -- excellent example.

---L.

[med_cat]

I'm pleased you both liked my example; it's one of my favorite poems, so I was thinking of it the other day and thought I'd see if "martial" had been posted to the comm before :)