First Known Use: 1546
Dictionary
1combat
noun com·bat \ˈkäm-ˌbat\
: active fighting especially in a war
Full Definition of COMBAT
1
: a fight or contest between individuals or groups
2
3
: active fighting in a war : action <casualties suffered in combat>
See combat defined for English-language learners
See combat defined for kids
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Origin of COMBAT
Anglo-French, from combatre to attack, fight, from Vulgar Latin *combattere, from Latin com- + battuere to beat
Rhymes with COMBAT
all that, at bat, at that, backchat, bath mat, bobcat, brass hat, brickbat, brown fat, brown rat, bullbat, Cassatt, chitchat, coon cat, cowpat, cravat, Croat, deep fat, defat, dingbat, doormat, expat, fat cat, fiat, firebrat, flat-hat, fly at, format, fruit bat, get at, go at, have at, hellcat, hepcat, high-hat, house cat, jurat, keep at, leaf fat, look at, Manx cat, MCAT, meerkat, milk fat, mole rat, mudflat, muscat, Muscat, muskrat, nonfat, old hat, pack rat, pick at, place mat, plug hat, polecat, pot hat, Rotblat, rug rat, salt flat, savate, silk hat, slouch hat, sneeze at, snowcat, Sobat, stand pat, standpat, stonechat, strawhat, Surat, thereat, tin hat, tipcat, tomcat, top hat, trans fat, whereat, whinchat, white hat, wildcat, wombat, wool fat
2combat
verb com·bat \kəm-ˈbat, ˈkäm-ˌ\
: to try to stop (something) from happening or getting worse
: to fight against (someone) : to engage in combat against (an enemy)
com·bat·ed or com·bat·tedcom·bat·ing or com·bat·ting
Full Definition of COMBAT
intransitive verb
: to engage in combat : fight
transitive verb
1
: to fight with : battle
2
: to struggle against; especially : to strive to reduce or eliminate <combat pollution>
See combat defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of COMBAT
1564
Related to COMBAT
- Synonyms
- battle, clash (with), fight, scrimmage (with), skirmish (with), war (against)
Synonym Discussion of COMBAT
oppose, combat, resist, withstand mean to set oneself against someone or something. oppose can apply to any conflict, from mere objection to bitter hostility or warfare <opposed the plan>. combat stresses the forceful or urgent countering of something <combat disease>. resist implies an overt recognition of a hostile or threatening force and a positive effort to counteract or repel it <resisting temptation>. withstand suggests a more passive resistance <trying to withstand peer pressure>.
3combat
adjective com·bat \ˈkäm-ˌbat\
Definition of COMBAT
1
: relating to combat <combat missions>
2
: designed or destined for combat <combat boots> <combat troops>
First Known Use of COMBAT
1825
COMBAT Defined for Kids
1combat
noun com·bat \ˈkäm-ˌbat\
Definition of COMBAT for Kids
1
: a fight or contest between individuals or groups
2
: active military fighting <Five soldiers were wounded in combat.>
2combat
verb com·bat \kəm-ˈbat, ˈkäm-ˌbat\
com·bat·ed or com·bat·tedcom·bat·ing or com·bat·ting
Definition of COMBAT for Kids
: to fight with : fight against : oppose <combat disease>
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