Word
paramilitary
Phoneticspara·mil·i·tary
US/ˌpɛɹəˈmɪɫəˌtɛɹi/
UK/pˈæɹəmˌɪlɪtəɹi/
Definition
n. a group of people who are organized like an army but are not part of a country's official military. They often use weapons and follow a strict chain of command.
n. an organized group of armed individuals whose structure, training, and function resemble those of a professional military, but who lack official state status. Often associated with political movements or insurgencies.
Examples
“The paramilitary group patrolled the border.”
“Following the collapse of the central government, several paramilitary units formed to protect local neighborhoods from looters.”
“The peace treaty required all paramilitary organizations to surrender their heavy weaponry and integrate their members into the national police force to ensure long-term stability.”
Examples
simple
“The paramilitary group patrolled the border.”
contextual
“Following the collapse of the central government, several paramilitary units formed to protect local neighborhoods from looters.”
complex
“The peace treaty required all paramilitary organizations to surrender their heavy weaponry and integrate their members into the national police force to ensure long-term stability.”
Usage
Often used in the plural to refer to the members of such a group or the groups themselves.
Real-World Examples
“JNIM has gained in strength since the Malian soldiers who seized power expelled French forces and some 15,000 United Nations peacekeepers, and turned to Russian paramilitaries for defence support.” “Russia maintains a strong foothold in CAR, primarily through the Wagner paramilitary group, which plays a key role in providing security for the country’s president, Faustin-Archange Touadéra.” “Taking El Obeid would allow the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to consolidate its hold on western Sudan, a significant strategic goal.” Etymology
From para- + military.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.