battle

BAT-uhl/ˈbætl̩/

Pluralbattles

Verbbattles, battling, battled

9 meanings of battle

Practice

1
between armiesnouncountable
A sustained fight between organized armed forces in a war, larger and more decisive than a skirmish.
The decisive battle ended the war within a week.
Historians still study the great battles of the ancient world.
UsageYou fight, win or lose a battle. Many battle names use of: the Battle of Hastings.
Similarengagement, clash, fight, encounter
Note
Scale is what sets this sense apart from a skirmish: it is a sustained, organized clash in which each side commits substantial forces. It could also name a division of an army, so in older usage an army's battles fought the battle.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 1 fact
Battle formerly meant a division of an army, so an army's divisions could themselves be called battles. en.wiktionary.org
2
tough fight (to win)nouncountable
A contest or struggle between opposing sides, forces, or interests.
Winning the contract was a long battle against much bigger firms.
He came to see life as a constant battle for survival.
UsageOften a battle with or against something, or a battle for something: a battle with cancer.
Similarstruggle, fight, contest, war, campaign
Note
The figurative use is long settled: the King James Bible of 1611 already has "nor the battell to the strong."
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
The King James Bible was first published in 1611. en.wikisource.org
The original 1611 King James Bible contains the quoted wording in Ecclesiastes 9:11. kingjamesbibleonline.org
The cited biblical passage is an established historical example of the contest or struggle sense. en.wiktionary.org
3
fight hardverbtransitive
To fight or struggle against an opponent, obstacle, or difficulty.
Volunteers battle hunger in their community every winter.
She battled a long illness with great courage.
UsageUsed directly or with against or with: battle an illness, battle against the wind.
Similarfight, combat, tackle

Less common meanings

4
rap duelnouncountable
A head-to-head competition between performers or teams in rapping or street dance, such as breakdancing.
She entered her first freestyle battle at sixteen.
Crowds gathered to watch the breakdance battle in the park.
UsageOften rap battle or dance battle.
Similarshowdown, contest, competition
5
army divisionnounarchaic
A division or body of troops in an army's battle formation, especially the main central force.
The king split his army into four parts, and each battle marched under its own lord's banner.
Once I link up with Lord Bolton and the Freys, I will have more than twelve thousand men. I mean to divide them into three battles and start up the causeway a half-day apart.
2000, George R[aymond] R[ichard] Martin, “”
Note
Medieval and early modern writers counted an army in battles. Malory has Arthur make ready his host "in x batails," and Francis Bacon's king divides his army "into three Battailes." William Robertson notes in 1769 that the cavalry was once called simply "The battle," as if the horsemen were the army. The sense is archaic now, so modern prose needs context to make it clear.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 5 facts
Medieval and early modern writers used battles for divisions of an army. en.wiktionary.org
Malory describes Arthur preparing his army using the exact phrase in x batails. en.wiktionary.org
Francis Bacon describes the king dividing his army into three Battailes. en.wiktionary.org
Robertson's relevant history first appeared in 1769. collections.soane.org
Robertson says cavalry was called The battle and treated as the decisive part of the army. archive.org
6
nounUS
Short for battle buddy: in the US Army, a fellow soldier paired with another for mutual support and safety in training and combat.
7
adjectivedialectal
Of grass, pasture, or land: rich and nourishing, good for fattening cattle or sheep.
8
verbdialectalNorthern EnglandScotlandUK
To feed or nourish a person or animal, especially so as to build them up.
9
verbdialectalNorthern EnglandScotlandUK
To make land or soil fertile and fruitful.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of battle apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

English borrowed this from Old French bataille, which came from Late Latin battalia, a form of battualia ('fighting and fencing exercises'), from Latin battuo ('to strike, hit, beat, fight'). The ultimate origin is uncertain, possibly from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to stab' or 'to hit'.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

English borrowed battle from Old French bataille. en.wiktionary.org
Old French bataille derives from Late Latin battalia, a variant of battualia meaning fighting and fencing exercises. en.wiktionary.org
Battualia derives from Latin battuo, with the stated meanings. en.wiktionary.org
The ultimate origin is uncertain; proposed Indo-European roots mean to stab or to hit. en.wiktionary.org