militia

noun

mi·​li·​tia mə-ˈli-shə How to pronounce militia (audio)
plural militias
1
a
: a part of the organized armed forces of a country liable to call only in emergency
The militia was called to quell the riot.
b
: a body of citizens organized for military service
2
: the whole body of able-bodied male citizens declared by law as being subject to call to military service
3
: a private group of armed individuals that operates as a paramilitary force and is typically motivated by a political or religious ideology
specifically : such a group that aims to defend individual rights against government authority that is perceived as oppressive

Examples of militia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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On that day in February 1993 the militia dragged 18 Bosnian Muslim men and Buzov from the train and executed them. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 2 Mar. 2025 Beijing has maintained a strong, persistent presence of ships from its navy, coast guard, and the maritime militia in the region to safeguard its core interests. David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025 In fact, the path ran through Lebanon, where Hezbollah, the Shiite militia that Iran had set up in 1982, battled Israel’s occupying army and staged huge attacks against U.S. and French troops. Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 The war between Hezbollah and Israel broke out in October 2023 after the Lebanese militia started firing on Israeli military positions in solidarity with its Palestinian ally, Hamas, in Gaza. Christina Goldbaum, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for militia

Word History

Etymology

Latin, military service, from milit-, miles

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of militia was in 1599

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Cite this Entry

“Militia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/militia. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

militia

noun
mi·​li·​tia mə-ˈlish-ə How to pronounce militia (audio)
: a body of citizens with some military training who are called to active duty only in an emergency

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