carabinero

[ kah-rah-vee-ne-raw; English kar-uh-buh-nair-oh ]

noun

, Spanish.

, plural ca·ra·bi·ne·ros [kah-, r, ah-vee-, ne, -, r, aws, kar-, uh, -b, uh, -, nair, -ohz].

1. an officer of the revenue service.
2. a frontier guard.
3. carbineer.
4. (in the Philippines) a coast-guard officer.

Word History and Origins

Origin of carabinero¹

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

Chile's Carabinero police force did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

From Reuters

Wider protests since late 2019 have put the country’s Carabinero police force under intense scrutiny, with local and international watchdog groups alleging excessive use of force and human rights violations.

From Reuters

Twisting the head off a carabinero, brown juices spurt over the sourdough toast.

From Newsweek

Carabinero special forces were flown into Aysén, subsequently supplying social media with a steady stream of images of shocking brutality, reinforcing the impression of a government that, as one observer wrote, “criminalizes social demands.”

From New York Times

During the campaign, political leaders agreed to withdraw TV spots that showed carabinero security forces beating citizens.

From Time Magazine Archive