martial

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”).

adj

1. (comparable) Of, relating to, or suggestive of war; warlike.
   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], “[https://books.google.com/books?id=MQdlAAAAcAAJ&pg=PP9 [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
2. (comparable) Connected with or relating to armed forces or the profession of arms or military life.
   [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; … 7 June 1628, 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
   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
3. (comparable) Characteristic of or befitting a warrior; having a military bearing; soldierly.
   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
   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
   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, page 91
4. (not comparable, astrology, obsolete) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Mars.
   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
   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
5. (not comparable, astronomy, 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. 6 February 1869, “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
6. (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)
   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

noun

1. (obsolete) A soldier, a warrior.
   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. 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
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”)
   The Martials, if there be Martials in any sense in which there are terrestrials on our own planet, may have no eyes at all; their whole civilisation, if they have say, may depend on senses of which we have absolutely no trace, … 1892, The Spectator: A Weekly Review of Politics, Literature, Theology, and Art, volume LXIX, London: F. C. Westley, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 218, column 2