militarian

Militarian is an adjective used to describe attitudes, policies, or actions that are framed around the primacy of the military. It can refer to a devotion to armed strength, a readiness to resolve political problems through force, or a disciplined, military-style organization of society. In practice, militarian ideas emphasize hierarchy, obedience, and preparedness, sometimes at the expense of civilian considerations.

As a noun, a militarian denotes a person who advocates militarian principles or who embodies a military-oriented approach in politics or governance. The term is rare and largely overlaps with militarist; militarian usage can be found in some scholarly discussions that stress the organizational or methodological aspects of military thought rather than merely its political goals.

Historically, militarian usage appears in certain 19th- and early 20th-century writings addressing political movements, defense policy, or state structure. It is far less common in contemporary prose, where militarist or militarism are the standard terms. The word remains primarily of interest to linguists and historians as a comparative or historical reference to terms describing military influence on policy and culture.

In summary, militarian denotes a military-centric orientation in thought or practice, distinct in nuance from more established terms like militarist, and is largely encountered in historical or analytical contexts.