militant

[Lat. militans, pr. par. of milito =to fight; miles (gen it. militis )=a soldier; Fr. militant; Ital. & Sp. militante.] 1. Fighting; engaged in war, serving as a soldier; warlike, military. "He had neither inclination nor any kind of inducement to adopt a militant policy."-London Daily Tele graph . 2. An epithet employed by Herbert Spencer to denote a type of society distinguished by militancy (q. v.). "Under the militant type the individual is owned by the State."- Herbert Spencer: Prin. of Sociology , § 552. Church militant : The Church of Christ on earth, regarded as engaged in constant warfare against its enemies. It is opposed to the Church triumphant, or in heaven. †mil-I-tar-i-ly, adv . [Eng. military ; -ly.] 1. In a military manner; like a soldier. 2. With reference to matters of war. "The policy of the Hapsburg monarchy is noted, both diplomatically and militarily , absolutely free."- Public Opinion, July 7, 1877, p. 9.