A militia is an organization that operates like an army but whose members are not professional soldiers.
The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias.
Synonyms: reserve(s), National Guard [US], Territorial Army [British], yeomanry [history] More Synonyms of militia
militia in British English
(mɪˈlɪʃə)
noun
1.
a body of citizen (as opposed to professional) soldiers
2.
an organization containing men enlisted for service in emergency only
Word origin
C16: from Latin: soldiery, from mīles soldier
militia in American English
(məˈlɪʃə)
noun
1.
a. Archaic
any military force
b.
later, any army composed of citizens rather than professional soldiers, called up in time of emergency
2. US
in the U.S., all able-bodied male citizens between 18 and 45 years old who are not already members of the regular armed forces: members of the National Guard and of the Reserves (of the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine Corps) constitute the organized militia; all others, the unorganized militia
3.
any of various disaffected groups of citizens that are organized as to resemble an army and that oppose theauthority of the federal government
Derived forms
militiaman (miˈlitiaman) (məˈlɪʃəmən)
nounWord forms: pluralmiˈlitiamen (məˈlɪʃəmən)
Word origin
L, military service, soldiery < miles (gen. militis), soldier
Examples of 'militia' in a sentence
militia
Real power lies with armed militias in cities and important towns.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Once there the army and militias moved in.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
No democracy could reasonably define an armed militia as a political party.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
His officials said western troops would not disarm militias by force.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Across the country revolutionary committees and citizen militias came into being to contain worsening urban food riots.
Michael Burleigh Earthly Powers: Religion and Politics in Europe from the Enlightenment to the GreatWar (2005)
Sometimes the local militia would support a local theatre as patrons.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The troops were trying to withdraw from the city and were surrounded by thousands of civilians and armed militia.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It will also need to ensure that the various heavily armed militias turn in their weapons to a national police force.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Shia militia leader than the Government to meet his needs.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
France has deployed 1,600 troops in an attempt to disarm the militias.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Service in the navy, the regular army and the militia remained a career rather than a civic duty.
French, David The British way in Warfare - 1688-2000 (1990)
By November 1843 the militias had been disarmed.
Shubert, Adrian A Social History of Modern Spain (1991)
From the west, Kurdish militias.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A senior army general who has defected said that his forces were preparing to enter the fray en masse alongside the citizens' militia yesterday.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
militia
British English: militia NOUN
A militia is an organization that operates like an army but whose members are not professional soldiers.
The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias.
American English: militia
Brazilian Portuguese: milícia
Chinese: 民兵组织
European Spanish: milicia
French: milice
German: Miliz
Italian: milizia
Japanese: 市民軍
Korean: 민병
European Portuguese: milícia
Latin American Spanish: milicia
Chinese translation of 'militia'
militia
(mɪˈlɪʃə)
n(c)
民兵 (mínbīng) (个(個), gè)
(noun)
Definition
a military force of trained civilians enlisted for use in emergency only
The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias.