paramilitary
paramilitary Lexical Profile
paramilitary Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Organized, trained, or operating similarly to a professional military force, though not formally part of a state's official armed forces.
"The border patrol agency operates with a paramilitary structure and specialized training."
• noun
An unofficial armed force or organization whose structure, training, and function resemble those of a professional military.
"The peace treaty required all regional paramilitaries to disband and surrender their equipment."
A member of an unofficial armed force organized like a regular army.
"Former paramilitaries participated in the community reconciliation program after the conflict ended."
• Rhymes for paramilitary
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the 1930s from the Greek prefix para- ('beside' or 'subsidiary to') and 'military', originally used to describe unofficial armed groups in interwar Europe.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.