LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
English → Latin

“combat” in Latin

The English word combat itself goes back to Latin battuō, through *combattere.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

combat
pugna: proelium: acies [SYN. in BATTLE]: certamen (general term for contest: i. e., both the emulation and the struggle). (The words are found in this connection and order), certamen et pugna: proelii concursus (Nep., Thras., 1, 4), or only concursus: congressus (the coming to close quarters): proelii dimicatio only (combat as a hazardous thing, hence dimicatio = especially struggle with dangers and difficulties): plur., dimicationes, if continued or repeated (e.g., Caes., B.C., 7. 8, 6, omnium superiorum dimicationum fructum in eo die atque hora consistere): the combat of the boxer or prize-fighter, pugilatus: of the wrestler, luctatio; luctatus (the former as act, the latter as state): with wild beasts [Vid: FIGHT]: a combat for life, dimicatio adversus aliquem (e.g., adversus clephantum): a fierce combat, proelium acre: the combat wos fierce and long, pugnatum est diu atque acriter: a long and fierce combat takes place, fit praelium acri certamine: a slight combat is fought, fit or agitur leve proelium [Vid: SKIRMISH]: to descend to the combat, in proelium ire: in proelium or aciem prodire: in adem or certamen descendere (for a single engagement, the last also = to engage in a combat or fight in general): to lead 100, 000 infantry to the combat (or battle), in aciem centum millia peditum producere: to begin the combat, pugnam. or certamen, or proelium inire (general terms to engage, of either party, taken singly): proelium committere, manum (only in Liv., pugnam or proelium) conserere (of the general as well as the soldiers): inter se concurrere: acie concurrere (to come together, of both parties): primus proelium committit aliquis (of any division, or of the ship. etc., which attacks first; Vid: Hirt., B. Alex., 25): to renew the combat, in pugnam redire; certamen or pugnam repetere (after a longer or shorter interruption; Vid: Justin., 1, 6, 10; Liv., 10, 36): pugnam novam integrare; proelium redintegrare or renovare (to renew, begin from the commencement; i. e., mostly with fresh troops: Vid: Liv., 7, 7; 1, 12; 2, 47; Caes., B.C., 3, 20): pugnam iterare (to fight a second battle: e.g., on the following day, as Liv., 6, 32): to continue the combat, pugnam excipere (of fresh troops. Liv., 38, 22, near the beginning): the reward of the combat, certaminis praemium: fit for the combat, ad pugnandum or ad dimicandum firmus (Caes., B.G., 7, 60, of troops): ready for the combat, ad pugnam paratus; manu promtus: after finding them all eager for the combat, postquam omnium animos alacres videt.
combat v.
pugnare; certare; concertare; contendere (e. g, armis. proelio. acie): decernere (mostly with armis, ferro. proelio, or acie): dimicare (e.g., proelio, acie): depugnare, decertare, digladiari (fight a deadly fight with weapons): all with cum aliquo, inter se (with another, among themselves): proeliari, proelium, or pugnam ficere, ededere: proeliari also figuratively with words: anybody, cum aliquo: confligere (armis, manu, proelio): anybody, cum aliquo: conflictari: anybody, cum aliquo (e.g., cum adversa fortuna) [Vid: more under FIGHT]: with words, certare, concertare, contendere (verbis). To combat fortune, cum adversa fortuna conflictari. To combat bravely, fortiter dimicare; fortiter resistere. To combat a thing (with words), pugnare contra aliquid: aliquid oppugnare, impugnare: one’s opinion, alicujus opinioni repugnare: sententiam alicujus impugnare: all things, contra omnis disserere.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for combat?
The usual Latin words for “combat” are pugna, proelium, aciēs; also certāmen, congressus, concurrō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.