contraband

noun

con·​tra·​band ˈkän-trə-ˌband How to pronounce contraband (audio)
1
: illegal or prohibited traffic in goods : smuggling
… persons the most bound in duty to prevent contrabandEdmund Burke
2
: goods or merchandise whose importation, exportation, or possession is forbidden
Border police searched the car for drugs and other contraband.
also : smuggled goods
3
plural contrabands : an enslaved person who during the American Civil War escaped to or was brought within the Union lines
contraband adjective

Did you know?

Contraband first appeared in English in the early 1500s as a borrowing of Italian contrabbando. This Italian word can be traced to the Medieval Latin word contrabannum, a combination of contra- ("against") and bannum ("decree"). Bannum is Germanic in origin and is related to Old High German bannan ("to command"). Bannan is also related to Middle English bannen ("to summon or to curse"), the source of the English verb ban, which now means "to prohibit" but which once also meant "to curse."

Examples of contraband in a Sentence

The border police searched the car for drugs and other contraband.
Recent Examples on the Web The settlement had another consequence, according to prosecutors: prison gang leaders like Troxell and Yandell were able to access contraband cellphones, giving them the ability to conference call with others in the gang, direct drug trafficking on the outside and order killings. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 Aid also passes into Gaza from Egypt through a crossing at the city of Rafah after Israeli officials inspect the cargo for weapons and other contraband. Michael Levenson, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Mexican Mafia members held a 30-man conference call, dialing in from various state prisons on contraband cellphones, a witness testified. Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 In one suicide death, the staff averaged 65 minutes between check-ins between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Staff also failed to properly search inmates’ cell units for contraband like medication, razors and bedsheets. Perry Stein, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 Other changes include replacing metal detectors with $329,000 airport-quality scanners at entry doors to screen for contraband like pills and vape pens that show up in youths’ cells. Christine MacDonald, Detroit Free Press, 30 Jan. 2024 Correctional facilities nationwide, both within the United States and internationally, are actively seeking effective measures to counter the escalating prevalence of unauthorized drone flights used for contraband smuggling into prison premises. Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2024 It is commonly used in both legal and illicit contexts, such as storing valuables or hiding contraband. Erik Kain, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 Examples of makeshift weapons and contraband found at various federal prison facilities. Robert Legare, CBS News, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contraband.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Italian; Middle French contrebande, borrowed from Italian contrabando (later contrabbando), originally Upper Italian (Venetian) chontrabando (Medieval Latin of Venice contrabannum), from contra- contra- + bando "proclamation, edict, law," borrowed from Gothic bandwo "sign, signal" — more at band entry 3

First Known Use

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of contraband was circa 1540

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Dictionary Entries Near contraband

Cite this Entry

“Contraband.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contraband. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

contraband

noun
con·​tra·​band ˈkän-trə-ˌband How to pronounce contraband (audio)
1
: goods forbidden by law to be owned or to be brought into or out of a country
2
: smuggled goods
contraband adjective
Etymology

from Italian contrabbando "smuggling," from Latin contrabannum, literally, "against the decree or command," from contra "against" and bannum, bannus "decree"; of Germanic origin

Legal Definition

contraband

noun
con·​tra·​band ˈkän-trə-ˌband How to pronounce contraband (audio)
: property that is unlawfully produced, possessed, or transported
contraband per se
: property that is in and of itself unlawful to possess, produce, or transport
derivative contraband
: property that is unlawful because it is used in committing an unlawful act
Etymology

Italian contrabbando act of smuggling, from contra- against + bando edict, law

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