militia

noun

mi·​li·​tia mə-ˈli-shə 

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

All three main Iranian proxies—Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthi militia—have large quantities of Chinese weapons. —Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025

As Zsa-zsa and Liesl race across the region in their private jet, a radical militia led by a man named Sergio (Richard Ayode) trails them. —Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025

So the Washington Liberation Front is trying to spin around the axis of a militia, whereas the Seraphites, or the Scars, are reacting to their circumstances by dedicating to a fundamentalist faith. —Matt Minton, Variety, 12 May 2025

The United States also disappointed Gulf leaders with a limited response to an attack by the Houthis, a militia backed by Iran, on Abu Dhabi in 2022. —Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 12 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin, military service, from milit-, miles

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Rhymes for militia

• adventitia
• vicia

Kids Definition

militia

noun

mi·​li·​tia mə-ˈlish-ə 

: a body of citizens with some military training who are called to active duty only in an emergency