noun / verb / adjective
combat
KAHM-bat/ˈkɑːmbæt/
To fight actively against an opponent.
The two fencers engage in combat, one lunging as the other parries.
Etymology
The pieces suggest beating or fighting with one another. The noun originally referred especially to a fight between two armed people, but also covered fighting between opposing forces.
In context
tournaments turned into actual conflicts this was especially plausible in the case of Revenge matches between National groups of knights is it a mystery how medieval tournaments progress from bloody combat to elaborate displays of pageantry and honor
More examples
- The troops train for combat in rough terrain.
- A combat medic treats the wounded near the front.
- Doctors use antibiotics to combat bacterial infections.
Forms
combat · combats · combated · combating
combatant noun — A person taking part in fighting.
combative adjective — Ready or eager to fight or argue.