/ ˈmɪlɪtənt; NAmE / adjective
using, or willing to use, force or strong pressure to achieve your aims, especially to achieve social or political change :
militant groups / leaders
► mili·tancy / -ənsi; NAmE / noun [ U ]:
a growing militancy amongst the unemployed
► mili·tant noun :
Student militants were fighting with the police.
► mili·tant·ly adverb
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense engaged in warfare ): from Old French , or from Latin militant- serving as a soldier, from the verb militare , from miles , milit- soldier. The current sense dates from the early 20th cent.