Martinet
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A strict disciplinarian.
"Captain Edward Carlisle, soldier as he was, martinet as he was, felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, her alluring smile ; he could not tell what this prisoner might do."
- 2 A martin; a swift.
- 3 someone who demands exact conformity to rules and forms wordnet
- 4 Anyone who lays stress on a rigid adherence to the details of discipline, or to forms and fixed methods or rules. figuratively
"Before I met Mr. Bowen Cooke I had been given to understand that he was of a reserved nature, and on occasion could be a "bit of a martinet"; [...]."
- 5 A short whip with multiple lashes once used in France. historical
Example
More examples"Captain Edward Carlisle, soldier as he was, martinet as he was, felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, her alluring smile ; he could not tell what this prisoner might do."
Etymology
After the example of 17th-century French army officer Jean Martinet.
Borrowed from French martinet.
More for "martinet"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.