Definition: Martial arts
Etymology
Calque of Japanese æ¦è¡“ or bujutsu, which is itself borrowed from Chinese æ¦è¡“ or wÇ”shù. However this term has been already mentioned in Pope's Iliad (1715, 4.360), and in Sotheby's Iliad (1831, book 6).
Noun
martial arts (plural only)
- Collectively, the traditional East Asian fighting styles, and their derivatives. The martial arts include karate, kendo, kung fu, taekwondo, and many others.
Related terms
- martial artist
- mixed martial arts
Credits
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