Battle
/ˈbætəl/noun
A sustained fight between large organized armed forces.
Did you know?The word 'battle' shares roots with ancient terms for 'struggle' and 'pain', reflecting the deep connection between conflict and human suffering throughout history.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰā-
“to strike or beat”
Latin
Latin
battuere
“to beat, strike, or hit”
Old French
Old French
bataille
“a fight or conflict”
Middle English
Middle English
batalle
“a fight or conflict, especially on a battlefield”
Modern English
English
battle
“a large-scale conflict between armed forces”