noun
Common
combat
KOM-bat
Combat (noun) means fighting between armed opponents, especially as part of a war. Example: “The museum has letters written by a young soldier who had just come home from combat.”
noun
1
Fighting between armed opponents, especially as part of a war.
"The museum has letters written by a young soldier who had just come home from combat."
"Many soldiers struggle with what they witnessed in combat."
"The unit saw heavy combat during the first week of the invasion."
verb
1
To actively fight against or work to reduce something harmful.
"The city launched a new program to combat homelessness."
"Doctors recommend exercise to combat high blood pressure."
"Planting more trees is one way to combat rising temperatures in towns."
How to use combat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAs a noun, armed fighting; as a verb, to fight against something, including abstract problems like disease or crime.
Common pairings
hand-to-hand combat
combat a disease
combat zone
combat troops
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Word forms
- Plural
- combats
- Third person singular
- combats
- Past tense
- combated, combatted
Fill the gap
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The museum has letters written by a young soldier who had just come home from _____.
Etymology
Borrowed in the 16th century from Middle French combat, from Old French combatre, ultimately from Latin com- ("together") + battuere ("to beat, strike").
Class of 1500
combat joined the language around 1500.
See the full Class of 1500 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for combat
See all rhymes for combat →Frequently asked questions
What does “combat” mean?
The word “combat” means fighting between armed opponents, especially as part of a war. In plain terms, as a noun, armed fighting; as a verb, to fight against something, including abstract problems like disease or crime.
How do you pronounce “combat”?
“Combat” is pronounced KOM-bat (/ˈkɑmˌbæt/ in IPA).
How do you use “combat” in a sentence?
Here is “combat” used in a sentence: “Many soldiers struggle with what they witnessed in combat.”
What part of speech is “combat”?
Depending on how it is used, “combat” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “combat” come from?
The word “combat” dates back to around 1500 and comes from Latin. Borrowed in the 16th century from Middle French combat, from Old French combatre, ultimately from Latin com- ("together") + battuere ("to beat, strike").
Is “combat” a common word?
“Combat” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “combat” have?
“Combat” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: fighting between armed opponents, especially as part of a war.
What is the difference between combat and battle?
Combat is the general activity of fighting between armed opponents. A battle is a single, organised clash within a war, fought at a particular time and place. Soldiers experience combat during many battles. Combat is the broad idea; a battle is one specific engagement.
What are the types of combat?
Combat is often divided by setting and method: ground combat on land, aerial combat in the air, and naval combat at sea. It also splits into armed and unarmed, and into close or hand-to-hand combat versus fighting at a distance with ranged weapons.
Is combat a noun or a verb?
It is both. As a noun, combat means fighting between armed opponents, as in 'wounded in combat.' As a verb, to combat something means to fight against or try to stop it, as in 'combat crime' or 'combat disease.' The stress often shifts between the two uses.
What is an example of combat?
Soldiers exchanging fire on a battlefield, fighter jets duelling overhead, and warships trading shots at sea are all combat. Outside war, boxing and wrestling are called combat sports because they involve direct physical fighting. The core idea is armed or physical fighting between opponents.
Featured in
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