militia

[ mi-lish-uh ]

noun

1. a body of citizens enrolled for military service, and called out periodically for drill but serving full time only in emergencies.
2. a body of citizen soldiers as distinguished from professional soldiers.
3. all able-bodied males considered by law eligible for military service.
4. a body of citizens organized in a paramilitary group and typically regarding themselves as defenders of individual rights against the presumed interference of the federal government.

militia

/ mɪˈlɪʃə /

noun

1. a body of citizen (as opposed to professional) soldiers
2. an organization containing men enlisted for service in emergency only

Word History and Origins

Origin of militia¹

1580–90; < Latin mīlitia soldiery, equivalent to mīlit- (stem of mīles ) soldier + -ia -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of militia¹

C16: from Latin: soldiery, from mīles soldier

Example Sentences

A UK-based monitoring group put the death toll at 41 and reported that the strikes hit a warehouse used to store weapons and homes inhabited by families of Iran-backed militia fighters.

From BBC

It says the Rapid Support Forces militia is using vehicles in the Darfur region supplied by the United Arab Emirates that are fitted with French hardware as it battles the army.

From BBC

Despite the presence of Iran-backed militia groups in Syria, this frontier has remained relatively calm, as Israeli ground forces have battled Iranian allies in Gaza and Lebanon over the past 13 months.

From BBC

Burkina Faso has a tradition of armed community militias for whom the government created an official role in 2020, which has since been expanded under the military government.

From BBC

They deny any involvement with the killing or with militias.

From BBC