martial art

noun

: any of several arts of combat and self-defense (such as karate and judo) that are widely practiced as sport

martial artist noun

Examples of martial art in a Sentence

He was trained in the martial arts.

Recent Examples on the Web

While visual effects can enhance martial arts on screen, Wu argues that authentic filmmaking still depends on performance. — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 25 July 2026

Created by Konietzko and DiMartino, the series is set in a fantasy world that takes inspiration from ancient Asian cultures where certain humans have the power to manipulate air, earth, fire, or water via martial arts practices known as bending. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 23 July 2026

The movie’s title, Tommy Karate, is in reference Pitera’s martial arts training, which earned him the nickname. — Shelby Stivale, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026

Iwanaga comes from a dance and martial arts background that includes full-contact karate, boxing, taekwondo, hip-hop, ballet, and more. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for martial art

• counterpart
• apart
• depart
• flowchart
• forepart
• impart
• pushcart
• rampart
• redstart
• restart
• subpart
• sweetheart

Kids Definition

martial art

noun

: any of several arts of combat and self-defense (as karate and judo) that are widely practiced as a sport

martial artist noun