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bat·tle

(bătl)

a. A fight between two armed forces, usually on a large scale: an important battle in the Pacific campaign.

b. Armed fighting; combat: wounded in battle.

2. A match between two combatants: trial by battle.

a. A protracted controversy or struggle: won the battle of the budget.

b. An intense competition: a battle of wits.

v. bat·tled, bat·tling, bat·tles

v. intr.

To engage in or as if in battle.

v. tr.

To fight against: battled the enemy; battled cancer.

[Middle English batel, from Old French bataille, from Vulgar Latin *battālia, from Late Latin battuālia, fighting and fencing exercises, from Latin battuere, to beat.]

battler n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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