Main Entry:

vig·i·lan·te

Pronunciation:

\ˌvi-jə-ˈlan-tē\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Spanish, watchman, guard, from vigilante vigilant, from Latin vigilant-, vigilans

Date:

1856

: a member of a volunteer committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily (as when the processes of law are viewed as inadequate) ; broadly : a self-appointed doer of justice

— vig·i·lan·tism \-ˈlan-ˌti-zəm\ noun