court-martial

[ kawrt-mahr-shuh l, -mahr-, kohrt- ]
/ ˈkɔrtˌmɑr ʃəl, -ˈmɑr-, ˈkoʊrt- /

noun, plural courts-mar·tial, court-mar·tials.

a court consisting of military or naval personnel appointed by a commander to try charges of offenses by soldiers, sailors, etc., against military or naval law.
a trial by such a court.
a conviction by such a court: He lost his privileges because of his court-martial.
a session of such a court: He attended the court-martial this morning.

verb (used with object), court-mar·tialed, court-mar·tial·ing or (especially British) court-mar·tialled, court-mar·tial·ling.

to arraign and try by court-martial.

Origin of court-martial

First recorded in 1565–75; earlier martial court

British Dictionary definitions for court martial

court martial

noun plural court martials or courts martial

a military court that tries persons subject to military law

verb court-martial, -tials, -tialling or -tialled or US -tials, -tialing or -tialed

(tr) to try by court martial