militia

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noun mi·li·tia \ mə-ˈli-shə \

Definition of militia

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

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Recent Examples of militia from the Web

Libya’s crude output and exports reached a fresh three-year high last month as fighting among armed militias abated and leaders of the country’s rival administrations agreed in principle on steps to unite the nation.

— saleh sarrar, Bloomberg.com, "Libya's Largest Oil Field `Back to Normal' After Disruption," 7 Aug. 2017
In the firearms section there are enough guns to arm a moderate-sized militia.

— cort gatliff, Southern Living, "An Afternoon at the Memphis Pyramid Bass Pro Superstore," 11 July 2017
In May 1869, Jefferson City found itself with two opposing sets of officials, each claiming legitimacy and each backed by their own armed militias.

— richard campanella, NOLA.com, "How New Orleans took Uptown from Jefferson Parish," 11 July 2017
The elder was a Major General in the colony’s militia, whose brutal death at the Battle of Bunker Hill was immortalized in John Trumbull's oil painting, The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker's Hill (shown below).

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "Here’s your chance to buy brutal amputation tools used in the Revolutionary War," 11 July 2017
Currently, Madison is positioned to seize control of the ranch, now that its founders are gone and its militia is weak.

— laura bradley, HWD, "Fear the Walking Dead: How Nick Will Pay for His Bloody Decision," 10 July 2017
The U.S. has actively supported Kurdish militia to grind down IS in Syria too, but supporting their desire for a state would deeply antagonize Turkey, Iran and Iraq.

— alan murray, Fortune, "CEO Daily: Monday, 10th July," 10 July 2017
Exultant armies and militias now occupy the ground once held by the caliphate.

— The Economist, "Islamic State nears its end," 5 July 2017
The militias have surrounded Tal Afar, which has strategic and symbolic value to Islamic State, in a bid to choke off the terror group’s supply lines between Iraq and neighboring...

— tamer el-ghobashy and ali a. nabhan, WSJ, "Iraq’s Dilemma: Who Will Lead the Next Big Fight Against ISIS?," 30 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'militia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of militia

Latin, military service, from milit-, miles

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1625

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Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

MILITIA Defined for English Language Learners

militia

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noun

Definition of militia for English Language Learners

: a group of people who are not part of the armed forces of a country but are trained like soldiers

MILITIA Defined for Kids

militia

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noun mi·li·tia \ mə-ˈli-shə \

Definition of militia for Students

:a group of citizens with some military training who are called into service only in emergencies

Learn More about militia

Spanish Central: Translation of militia Nglish: Translation of militia for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of militia for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about militia

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militia

Definition of militia

Recent Examples of militia from the Web

Origin and Etymology of militia

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MILITIA Defined for English Language Learners

militia

Definition of militia for English Language Learners

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militia

Definition of militia for Students

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