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

In response, President Nicolás Maduro has ordered troop deployments along the coast and border with Colombia and urged Venezuelans to join civilian militias. —Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025

Still, Maduro’s government has responded by deploying troops along Venezuela’s coast and border with neighboring Colombia, as well as by urging Venezuelans to enlist in a civilian militia. —Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025

Many of the militias were incorporated into the Iraqi government in 2016, as the Popular Mobilization Forces. —Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025

Eighteenth-century naturalists debated the concept of extinction even as rattlers—like Native Americans—were driven out of existence in many areas via bounties, community-wide kill-a-thons, and militias. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Aug. 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