war powers

plural noun: 1. the powers exercised by the president or by Congress during a war or a crisis affecting national security. singular noun: 1. the power to make war. 2. an extraordinary power exercised usually by the executive branch of a government in the prosecution of a war. Origin: First recorded in 1760–70. —Dictionary.com. 1766. —Merriam-Webster. Added: 1.9.20 {12:30 PM} Sources: 1, 2.