martial

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Of, relating to, or suggestive of war; warlike.

   The captaine he, which climbes for high advaunce, / By piercing blade imbrude in enimies blood, / In martiall ſhewes who formoſt leades the daunce, [...]

2. 2
   adj

   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; [...]

3. 3
   adj

   Characteristic of or befitting a warrior; having a military bearing; soldierly.

   With Marſhall ſtalke he paſſed through our watch.

4. 4
   adj

   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; [...]

5. 5
   adj

   Of or relating to the planet Mars; Martian.

   [R]ound about the plain / All hid with slaughter'd carcasses, yet still did hotly reign / The martial planet; [...]

6. 6
   adj

   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)

7. 7
   noun

   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.

8. 8
   noun

   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, [...]

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”).