noncombative

adjective

non·​com·​bat·​ive ˌnän-kəm-ˈba-tiv How to pronounce noncombative (audio)
: not combative: such as
a
: not eager to fight or argue
Bolten's low-key, noncombative style has made his task a bit easier, especially when it came to asking the sometimes volatile Rove to surrender some of his power.Richard Wolffe et al., Newsweek, 1 May 2006
b
: not involving combat and especially military combat
He notes that his troops are now carrying out noncombative missions in 105 countries, without incident.Lee Smith, Fortune, 19 Sept. 1994

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of noncombative was in 1833

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Cite this Entry

“Noncombative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/noncombative. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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