Karate is a type of Martial Art. There are many styles of Martial Arts, from Aikido to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to Kung Fu and Taekwondo, and Karate is one of the forty-plus specific styles of Martial Arts that are commonly taught in the United States. So the next question that needs to be answered is: What is a Martial Art?
A Martial Art is a self-defense training system. All Martial Arts are designed for a singular goal--to defend one's self from an attack and to physically defeat an aggressor. There are five general categories of Martial Arts training: punching and kicking styles like Karate, grappling styles like Judo, low impact styles like Tai Chi, weapons based styles like Kendo and modern sports styles known as Mixed Martial Arts or MMA. Older Martial Arts styles were designed for the practical purpose of self-defense, while modern styles like MMA focus on the sporting aspect of the discipline.