court-martial

C1 Topic:Law & Government

US /ˈkɔrtˌmɑr.ʃəl/ UK /ˌkɔːtˈmɑː.ʃəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #15659

Meanings

1

noun
a military court, or a trial held by such a court, for members of the armed forces accused of breaking military law

The officer faced a court-martial for abandoning his post.
2

verb
to bring a member of the armed forces before a military court for trial

The army may court-martial any soldier who deserts during active service.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a military court, or a... military courtmilitary trial

2 verb · to bring a member of the... try by military courtarraign

Opposites

acquit exonerate

Word family

Forms courtmartialed

Derived forms court-martialedcourt-martialledcourt-martialingcourt-martialling

Related forms tribunalmartial lawdiscipline desertion

Etymology

Recorded in sixteenth-century English, replacing the earlier order martial court. Court came through Old French from Latin cohors ("enclosure, retinue"), while martial comes from Latin martialis ("of Mars, of war"). The verb developed from the military-court noun.

Topics

Law & Government

External links

# court-martial

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɔrtˌmɑr.ʃəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌkɔːtˈmɑː.ʃəl/
**Frequency rank:** 15659

## Meanings
1. a military court, or a trial held by such a court, for members of the armed forces accused of breaking military law
2. to bring a member of the armed forces before a military court for trial

## Examples
- The officer faced a court-martial for abandoning his post.
- The army may court-martial any soldier who deserts during active service.

## Synonyms
- military court
- military trial

## Antonyms
- acquit
- exonerate

## Derived Forms
- court-martialed
- court-martialled
- court-martialing
- court-martialling

## Related Forms
- tribunal
- martial law
- discipline
- desertion

## Etymology
Recorded in sixteenth-century English, replacing the earlier order martial court. Court came through Old French from Latin cohors ("enclosure, retinue"), while martial comes from Latin martialis ("of Mars, of war"). The verb developed from the military-court noun.

## Topics
- Law & Government

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