Origin: Latin suffix -ary
Military has 6 different meanings across 2 categories:
the military forces of a nation
"their military is the largest in the region"
"the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"
Armed forces.
"The local military announced a new training exercise at the base today."
In plain English: The military is the group of armed forces that a country uses to protect itself and fight wars.
"The new recruits joined the military to serve their country."
Usage: Use "the military" or "the militaries" to refer collectively to armed forces, avoiding singular forms like "a military" when talking about the concept in general. This term encompasses all branches of service within a nation's defense system rather than describing an individual soldier or officer.
associated with or performed by members of the armed services as contrasted with civilians
"military police"
Characteristic of members of the armed forces.
"After years of service, he adopted a distinctly military manner in everything from his posture to how he addressed civilians."
In plain English: Military means something related to an army or soldiers who fight for their country.
"The government decided to increase its military spending to protect the country."
Usage: Use "military" to describe things related to soldiers, weapons, or war strategies, such as military uniforms or military orders. Avoid using it for civilian organizations or non-combat activities unless they are directly controlled by the armed forces.
The word military comes from the Latin mīles, meaning "soldier," and entered English through Middle English via Old French. Although it shares a root with the related term militaire, its primary journey into the language focused on describing things connected to soldiers or warfare.