Warfare
/ˈwɔːrˌfɛər/
nounB2
Definition
Warfare is the act of fighting in a war. It involves the use of soldiers, weapons, and strategies to try to win against an enemy. Warfare can happen between countries or groups and includes battles and other military actions.
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See It in Action
The act or process of fighting a war
- •The country prepared for warfare by training its soldiers.
- •Modern warfare uses advanced technology like drones and computers.
- •Warfare between the two nations lasted for many years.
The methods and strategies used in fighting a war
- •Guerrilla warfare involves small groups using surprise attacks.
- •Naval warfare takes place on the sea with ships and submarines.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "warfare" like "fight," but much bigger and organized between large groups or countries, not just two people
- ✓Picture two armies on a battlefield with soldiers, tanks, and planes trying to defeat each other
- ✓It's the serious and often scary feeling when people fight in wars, not just small arguments or fights
- ✓Sounds like "war-fare" → imagine the word "war" combined with "fair," but here it means the way war is done or carried out
- ✓Think of famous stories or movies about battles and wars, like knights fighting in castles or soldiers in modern wars
- ✓NOT like "fight" (small, short, personal) but "warfare" is large, long, and involves many people and plans
- ✓NOT like "game" or "competition," although warfare can be planned like a game, it is real and dangerous
- ✓NOT like "violence" alone, warfare is organized and planned fighting, not random or personal violence
Try Other Words
- •Combat: physical fighting or battle (Use when focusing on the actual fighting part of war)
- •Conflict: a serious disagreement or fight, sometimes violent (Use when the situation may or may not be a full war)
- •Hostilities: acts of war or fighting (Use when talking about the start or presence of fighting between groups)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "war" (a large fight between countries or groups) + "fare" (an old word meaning way or manner)
- •Etymology: From Old English and Old Norse origins, combining words meaning "way of war"
- •Historical development: Used since the Middle Ages to describe the conduct or process of war
- •Modern usage: Refers to all kinds of organized fighting in wars, including new technology and strategies
Reflect & Connect
•How do different types of warfare change the way wars are fought and experienced?
•Can warfare ever be fair or just, or is it always harmful and destructive?
Fill in the blanks
1.Warfare usually begins when two countries have serious ___ or disagreements.
2.Modern warfare often involves ___ technology like drones and cyber attacks.
3.Unlike small fights, warfare requires large groups of soldiers and ___ plans.
4.Guerrilla warfare uses surprise attacks and ___ groups instead of big armies.
5.The word warfare comes from combining "war" and "___," meaning the way war is done.
6.When countries stop warfare, they often sign a ___ to agree on peace.
7.Naval warfare happens on the ___, not on land.