militia
pronunciation
How to pronounce militia in British English:
UK [məˈlɪʃə]
How to pronounce militia in American English:
US [məˈlɪʃə]
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- Noun:
- civilians trained as soldiers but not part of the regular army
- the entire body of physically fit civilians eligible by law for military service
Word Origin
- militia (n.)
- 1580s, "system of military discipline," from Latin militia "military service, warfare," from miles "soldier" (see military). Sense of "citizen army" (as distinct from professional soldiers) is first recorded 1690s, perhaps from a sense in French cognate milice. In U.S. history, "the whole body of men declared by law amenable to military service, without enlistment, whether armed and drilled or not" (1777).
Synonym
Example
- 1. Militia leaders and rogue army commanders still control swathes of it .
- 2. A car is set alight next to the pro-government militia base .
- 3. A suspected member of a pro-government militia , centre , is protected from angry pro-mousavi crowds .
- 4. Many congressmen are said to have made pacts with militia bosses to win their seats in the 2006 elections .
- 5. After escaping from the labor camp through sewers , he joined the semiofficial polish militia in 1944 .