Martial Belongs to Mars, the God of War
Martial means relating to war. The word comes from the Roman god of war, and it is constantly confused with marshal.
Martial means warlike or military: martial law, martial music, martial arts. The name inside it is Mars, the Roman god of war, who also named the month of March and the red planet. It is not related to *marshal*, which came from a word for a horse servant.
- Relating to war or the military. *Martial music.*
- Martial law — military rule over civilians. *Martial law was declared.*
- Martial arts — codified fighting systems. *He teaches martial arts.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | martial | A martial bearing. |
| Compound | martial law | Under martial law. |
| Compound | martial arts | Mixed martial arts. |
| Compound | court martial | Facing a court martial. |
| Confused with | marshal | A race marshal. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Martial law suspends normal civil authority.The military takes over policing and courts.
- She has studied martial arts since she was six.The commonest use today.
- He was court-martialled for disobeying orders.The verb form, hyphenated.
Words from Mars
- Martial — warlike
- March — the month named for him, when campaigning resumed
- Mars — the planet, named for its red colour
- Martian — of the planet
- Marshal — not from Mars at all, despite the resemblance
From Latin *martialis*, of Mars. The month of March was named for the same god because it opened the Roman campaigning season, which is also why the year once began there.
Martial or marshal?
Martial is an adjective about war. Marshal is a person or the verb meaning to arrange.
What does martial law involve?
The military assumes functions normally carried out by civil authorities, often including courts and policing, usually with civil liberties suspended.