Advertisement

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

Origin and history of militant

militant(adj.)

early 15c., "fighting, engaged in warfare," from Old French militant "fighting" and directly from Latin militantem (nominative militans), present participle of militare "serve as a soldier" (see militate). The sense of "having a combative character or tendency," especially "seeking political change by use or advocacy of direct action," is by 1907. Related: Militantly.

Originally especially in Church militant (early 15c., chirche militans), which is the Church on earth, seen as engaged in warfare with the devil, the flesh, and worldly powers of temptation and unrighteousness. The Church triumphant (1550s) is the collective body of saints now glorified in heaven.

militant(n.)

c. 1600, "one engaged in war or strife," from militant (adj.); in the political sense of "one seeking change by use or advocacy of direct action" it is attested by 1909.

also from c. 1600

Entries linking to militant

militate(v.)

1620s, of persons, "to serve as a soldier" (now rare), from Latin militatum, past participle of militare "serve as a soldier," from miles "soldier" (see military (adj.)). The sense developed via "to be in conflict with, be at variance" to "be evidence" for or against, "have weight or force in determining anything" (1640s). Related: Militated; militating; militation.

militancy(n.)

"condition of being militant," 1640s, from militant (adj.) + abstract noun suffix -cy. Earlier was militaunce "combat, warfare" (mid-15c.).

    Advertisement

    Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

    Trends of militant

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

    More to explore

    opportunist
    violent revolution and sought to promote peaceful reforms using legal methods, a stance that pitted him directly against the militant...
    reformist
    1580s, originally religious, "a Protestant;" from reform + -ist. Political sense of "one who proposes or favors reform to the order of society," with varying specifics, is from 1640s. Related: Reformism (1904), which was specifically the theory that socialism might be established
    society
    1530s, "companionship, friendly association with others," from Old French societe "company" (12c., Modern French société), from Latin societatem (nominative societas) "fellowship, association, alliance, union, community," from socius "companion, ally," from PIE *sokw-yo-, suffixe
    salad
    late 14c., salade, "raw herbs cut up and variously dressed," from Old French salade (14c.) and Medieval Latin salata, both from Vulgar Latin *salata, literally "salted," short for herba salata "salted vegetables" (vegetables seasoned with brine, a popular Roman dish), from fem. p
    technology
    1610s, "a discourse or treatise on an art or the arts," from Latinized form of Greek tekhnologia "systematic treatment of an art, craft, or technique," originally referring to grammar, from tekhno-, combining form of tekhnē "art, skill, craft in work; method, system, an art, a sy
    zombie
    also zombi, jumbie, 1788, possibly representing two separate words, one relating to the dead and the other to authority figures, but if so historically these were not kept distinct in English-speaking usage. The oldest attested sense in English is "'spirits of dead wicked men [..
    dignity
    c. 1200, "state of being worthy," from Old French dignite "dignity, privilege, honor," from Latin dignitatem (nominative dignitas) "worthiness," from dignus "worth (n.), worthy, proper, fitting," from PIE *dek-no-, suffixed form of root *dek- "to take, accept." From c. 1300 as "a
    edifice
    late 14c., from Old French edifice "building" (12c.), from Latin aedificium "building," from aedificare "to erect a building," from aedis, variant of aedes "temple, sanctuary," usually a single edifice without partitions, also, in the plural, "dwelling house, building," originall
    cause
    c. 1200, "reason or motive for a decision, grounds for action; motive," from Old French cause "cause, reason; lawsuit, case in law" (12c.), and directly from Latin causa "a cause; a reason; interest; judicial process, lawsuit," which is of unknown origin. From mid-14c. as "cause
    vintage
    early 15c., "harvest of grapes, yield of wine from a vineyard," from Anglo-French vintage (mid-14c.), from Old French vendage, vendenge "vine-harvest, yield from a vineyard," from Latin vindemia "a gathering of grapes, yield of grapes," from combining form of vinum "wine" (see wi

    Share militant

    Advertisement

    Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

    Trending
    Dictionary entries near militant
    Advertisement

    Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

    Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.