war
UK: wɔː | US: wɔːr
n. a state of armed conflict between nations or groups
n. a sustained effort to combat something undesirable (e.g., "war on poverty")
v. to engage in armed conflict
The word "war" traces back to Old English wyrre or werre, derived from Proto-Germanic werzō ("conflict, strife"). It shares roots with Old High German werra ("quarrel") and Old Norse verri ("worse"). Unlike many modern English words with Latin or Greek morphemes, "war" retains its compact Germanic structure, reflecting its ancient role in human society. The term has consistently denoted violent conflict but expanded metaphorically (e.g., "war on drugs") in modern usage.
The two nations declared war after failed negotiations.
She studied the causes of the Peloponnesian War.
Environmentalists are waging war against plastic pollution.
War has devastating consequences for civilians.
The novel depicts the psychological toll of war.