Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

mil·i·tant       (mĭl'ĭ-tənt)  Pronunciation Key  adj.   Fighting or warring. Having a combative character; aggressive, especially in the service of a cause: a militant political activist. n.   A fighting, warring, or aggressive person or party. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin mīlitāns, mīlitant-, present participle of mīlitāre, to serve as a soldier; see militate.] mil'i·tance, mil'i·tan·cy n., mil'i·tant·ly adv.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
militant  (adj.)

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

militant
adjective
1.	disposed to warfare or hard-line policies; "militant nations"; "hawkish congressman"; "warlike policies"
2.	showing a fighting disposition; "highly competitive sales representative"; "militant in fighting for better wages for workers"; "his self-assertive and ubiquitous energy" [syn: competitive]
3.	engaged in war; "belligerent (or warring) nations" [syn: belligerent]
noun
1.	a militant reformer

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Militant

Church\, n. [OE. chirche, chireche, cherche, Scot. kirk, from AS. circe, cyrice; akin to D. kerk, Icel. kirkja, Sw. kyrka, Dan. kirke, G. kirche, OHG. chirihha; all fr. Gr. ? the Lord's house, fr. ? concerning a master or lord, fr. ? master, lord, fr. ? power, might; akin to Skr. [,c][=u]ra hero, Zend. [,c]ura strong, OIr. caur, cur, hero. Cf. Kirk.]

1. A building set apart for Christian worship.

2. A Jewish or heathen temple. [Obs.] --Acts xix. 37.

3. A formally organized body of Christian believers worshiping together. "When they had ordained them elders in every church." --Acts xiv. 23.

4. A body of Christian believers, holding the same creed, observing the same rites, and acknowledging the same ecclesiastical authority; a denomination; as, the Roman Catholic church; the Presbyterian church.

5. The collective body of Christians.

6. Any body of worshipers; as, the Jewish church; the church of Brahm.

7. The aggregate of religious influences in a community; ecclesiastical influence, authority, etc.; as, to array the power of the church against some moral evil.

Remember that both church and state are properly the rulers of the people, only because they are their benefactors. --Bulwer.

Note: Church is often used in composition to denote something belonging or relating to the church; as, church authority; church history; church member; church music, etc.

Apostolic church. See under Apostolic.

Broad church. See Broad Church.

Catholic or Universal church, the whole body of believers in Christ throughout the world.

Church of England, or English church, the Episcopal church established and endowed in England by law.

Church living, a benefice in an established church.

Church militant. See under Militant.

Church owl (Zo["o]l.), the white owl. See Barn owl.

Church rate, a tax levied on parishioners for the maintenance of the church and its services.

Church session. See under Session.

Church triumphant. See under Triumphant.

Church work, work on, or in behalf of, a church; the work of a particular church for the spread of religion.

Established church, the church maintained by the civil authority; a state church.