warfare English · revision 10342

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1456}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈwɔːfɛə/ ''(UK)''; /ˈwɔɹfɛɹ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English, from [[war]] and [[fare]], a journey.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A going to war, a military expedition; the carrying on of war: the mid-15th century, implied in warfaringe; 1456 in the OED.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''To go a warfare'', to go to war, is from 1483.^(OED 1989) Figurative use, any struggle or conflict, is by the 1540s (1549 in the OED).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) A verb warfare, to wage war, was used from 1565, with ''warfarer'', a warrior.^(OED 1989) Combinations such as ''biological warfare'' denote kinds of military operations.^(SOED 2002)^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1456 – the action of making war.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1483 – to go a warfare.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1549 – figurative use.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1565 – to wage war (verb).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The waging of war; armed [[conflict]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Military operations of a particular kind: ''guerrilla warfare''.^(AHD)

+ # A state of conflict or strife.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[biowarfare]]

+ * [[biological warfare]]

+ * [[chemical warfare]]

+ * [[germ warfare]]

+ * [[guerrilla warfare]]

+ * [[psychological warfare]]

+ * [[trench warfare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[war]]

+ * [[fare]]

+ * [[welfare]]

+ * [[wayfarer]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}