Where does “martial” come from?
Martial comes from Middle French martial, meaning relating to war or soldiers, derived from Latin martial- stem of martialis, an adjective formed from Mārs, the Roman god of war.
martial (English): Of, relating to, or suggestive of war; warlike;...
Definitions
- Of, relating to, or suggestive of war; warlike;...
Ancestry of “martial”, step by step
martial traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English martial
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | martial | — |
| 2 | Middle French | martial | — |
| 3 | Latin | Martialis | Roman cognomen |
| 4 | Latin | -ālis | — |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -ālis | forms relational adjectives |
via Middle English mercialle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | mercialle | relating to war, warlike; military; for use in... |
via Middle English marcial
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | marcial | — |