paramilitary

See also: para-military

English

Alternative forms

  • para-military

Etymology

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *pr̥h₂ey
Proto-Hellenic *pərai
Ancient Greek πᾰρᾰ́ (părắ)
Ancient Greek πᾰρᾰ- (pără-)der.
English para-
English military
English paramilitary

    From para- + military.

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    paramilitary (plural paramilitaries)

    1. A group of civilians trained and organized in a military fashion, but which do not represent the formal forces of a sovereign power.
      • 2007 July 13, Kyle Whitmire, “Suit in U.S. Over Murders in Colombia”, in The New York Times‎[1], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 January 2021:
        From the start of its operations in Colombia, the company was on guard against the decadeslong civil strife in the country between left-wing guerrilla and right-wing paramilitary groups, witnesses have testified.
      • 2014, “Little Green Men”: A Primer on Modern Russian Unconventional Warfare, Ukraine 2013–2014‎[2], Fort Bragg, North Carolina: The United States Army Special Operations Command, archived from the original on 9 October 2022, pages 44-45:
        Cossack paramilitaries operate in Ukraine and southern Russia. […] Before he entered eastern Ukraine, Girkin led paramilitary groups in Crimea and negotiated with Ukrainian military officers in attempts to induce them to defect to Russia.
    2. (colloquial) A member of a paramilitary group.

    Translations

    Adjective

    paramilitary (not comparable)

    1. Relating to a paramilitary. [1935[1]]

    Translations

    Derived terms

    References

    1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “paramilitary”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
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