antimilitarism
|an-ti-mil-i-tar-ism|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.tiˈmɪlɪtərɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.tiˈmɪlɪt(ə)rɪz(ə)m/
opposition to military power
Etymology
'antimilitarism' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') + 'militarism' (from 'military' + suffix '-ism'), where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'militaris' (Latin) meant 'pertaining to soldiers'.
'military' comes from Latin 'militaris' via Old French 'militaire' and Middle English; 'militarism' arose in English by adding the suffix '-ism' to 'military' in the 19th century. 'antimilitarism' developed by combining 'anti-' with 'militarism' (used especially from the late 19th to early 20th century) to denote opposition to military influence.
Initially the parts meant 'against' + 'pertaining to soldiers'; over time the combined word came to mean specifically 'opposition to the social and political influence of the military' or 'movement against militarism'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
opposition to militarism — the belief, policy, or influence of military power in government and society.
After the war, antimilitarism gained strength in many countries.
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Noun 2
a political or social movement that seeks to limit military influence, reduce armaments, or oppose war and compulsory military service.
The antimilitarism movement campaigned for disarmament and against conscription.
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Last updated: 2025/09/04 02:56