state of war


noun
  1. a condition marked by armed conflict between or among states, existing whether or not war has been declared formally by any of the belligerents.

  2. a legal condition initiated and concluded by formal declaration, and not necessarily involving armed conflict.

  1. the duration of such a condition.

Origin of state of war

1
First recorded in 1945–50

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for state of war

state of war

noun
  1. a period of armed conflict between states, regardless of whether or not war has been officially declared

  2. a legal condition begun by a declaration of war and ended formally, during which the rules of international law applicable to warfare may be invoked

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