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

Maduro has also claimed that his volunteer militias now have more than 8 million reservists, though experts have called into question that number as well as the quality of the troops’ training. —Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025

In early May, the militia began building a thirty-five-mile-long berm around the city, to prevent food and humanitarian aid from entering; people have survived on grass and animal feed since. —Nicolas Niarchos, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025

Of the few that have arrived in what Saraf describes as a small agricultural town, many have reported being beaten and tortured by different militia groups stationed along the treacherous route between El Fasher and Tawila. —Callum Sutherland, Time, 7 Nov. 2025

So did laws and court rulings that followed — barring Black men from the militia, barring Black adults from juries, barring Black children from learning alongside white children in public schools, and barring racial intermarriage. —Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 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