court-martial

[ kawrt-mahr-shuhl, -mahr-, kohrt- ]

noun

, plural courts-mar·tial, court-mar·tials.

1. a court consisting of military or naval personnel appointed by a commander to try charges of offenses by soldiers, sailors, etc., against military or naval law.
2. a trial by such a court.
3. a conviction by such a court:

   He lost his privileges because of his court-martial.

4. a session of such a court:

   He attended the court-martial this morning.

verb (used with object)

, court-mar·tialed, court-mar·tial·ing or (especially British) court-mar·tialled, court-mar·tial·ling.

1. to arraign and try by court-martial.

court martial

noun

1. a military court that tries persons subject to military law

verb

1. tr to try by court martial

Word History and Origins

Origin of court-martial¹

First recorded in 1565–75; earlier martial court

Example Sentences

At his court-martial, Calley’s attorney echoed the defense of top Nazis at their trials in Nuremberg following World War II: He was only following orders.

From Los Angeles Times

The piece opens on the court-martial of a brutal sergeant who was Private Chen’s chief antagonist.

From New York Times

The case could then move to a court-martial, if it’s determined that there’s sufficient evidence of the charges.

From Seattle Times

Richmond was 20 when an Army court-martial panel convicted him of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced him to three years in prison for killing the handcuffed Iraqi civilian near Taal Al Jai in February 2004.

From Seattle Times

“When we got back to Ubon, they didn’t know whether to court-martial me or pin a medal on my chest,” he recalled in an interview with an Air Force publication in 1996.

From New York Times

Related Words

• military court