Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Relating to or characteristic of armed forces: Describes anything associated with, performed by, or intended for the army, navy, air force, or other armed services, as opposed to civilian life.
   • Involving soldiers or warfare: Characteristic of soldiers, their profession, or the conduct of war.

2. Noun (often used with "the"):

   • The armed forces of a nation: The collective institution or organization comprising a country's army, navy, air force, and sometimes other units, responsible for national defense.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:

  • The country is under military rule.
  • He comes from a long line of military officers.
  • The base is a restricted military zone.

• Noun:

  • The military was deployed to assist in the disaster relief effort.
  • He decided to make a career in the military.
  • The government increased funding for the military.

Advanced Usage

• "Military-industrial complex": A term describing the close relationship between a nation's military and the defense industry that supplies it, often implying political and economic influence.

  • The report investigated the power of the military-industrial complex.

• "Military precision": Used figuratively to describe an action carried out with extreme accuracy, discipline, and efficiency.

  • The event was organized with military precision.

Variants and Related Words

• Militaristic (adj): Advocating or relating to the belief that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively.

  • The leader's speeches had a militaristic tone.

• Militarize (verb): To equip or supply with soldiers and military resources; to give a military character to.

  • The government moved to militarize the border region.

• Militia (noun): A military force that is raised from the civil population to supplement a regular army in an emergency.

  • The local militia was called up to defend the town.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Armed, service, martial, soldierly.
• Noun: Armed forces, services, troops, defense force.

Related Phrases

• Military service: A period of compulsory or voluntary service in the armed forces.

  • All young men were required to complete two years of military service.

• Military academy: An educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps of the armed forces.

  • He graduated from a prestigious military academy.

Related Idioms

• To be a military secret: Information that is classified and not to be disclosed to the public.

  • The details of the operation are a military secret.

• Military intelligence: Information concerning an enemy or an area; also used ironically to suggest incompetence.

  • According to military intelligence, the enemy forces were regrouping in the hills.

Adjective

1. associated with or performed by members of the armed services as contrasted with civilians
   • military police
2. characteristic of or associated with soldiers or the military
   • military uniforms
3. of or relating to the study of the principles of warfare
   • military law

Noun

1. the military forces of a nation
   • their military is the largest in the region
   • the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker