guerrilla

Or gue·ril·la

[guh-ril-uh]

noun

1. a member of a band of irregular soldiers that uses guerrilla warfare, harassing the enemy by surprise raids, sabotaging communication and supply lines, etc.

adjective

1. pertaining to such fighters or their technique of warfare: guerrilla tactics.

   guerrilla strongholds;

   guerrilla tactics.

2. of or relating to an unauthorized, edgy, or disruptive version of an activity: guerilla gardening to beautify an abandoned lot.

   guerrilla filmmaking on a busy sidewalk;

   guerilla gardening to beautify an abandoned lot.

guerrilla

/ ɡəˈrɪlə /

noun

1. 1. a member of an irregular usually politically motivated armed force that combats stronger regular forces, such as the army or police

   2. ( as modifier )

      guerrilla warfare

2. a form of vegetative spread in which the advance is from several individual rhizomes or stolons growing rapidly away from the centre, as in some clovers Compare phalanx

Other Word Forms

• guerrillaism noun
• antiguerrilla noun
• counterguerrilla adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of guerrilla¹

First recorded in 1800–10; from Spanish, diminutive of guerra “war” (of Germanic origin) + -illa diminutive suffix; originally in reference to the Spanish resistance against Napoleon; the name for the struggle erroneously taken as a personal noun; war ¹, -elle

Word History and Origins

Origin of guerrilla¹

C19: from Spanish, diminutive of guerra _war

Example Sentences

Nepal in 2008 made the transition from a monarchy to a democracy and peacefully integrated former communist guerrillas into the political process.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Separatists in the English-speaking North West and South West regions have been fighting a guerrilla campaign for independence since 2017.

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Before he was killed by Israel, the group's previous military chief, Mohammed Deif, issued orders that the militant group should adopt a move towards guerrilla tactics and ambushes to mitigate their catastrophic losses.

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Hamas fighters are increasingly turning to insurgency tactics and guerrilla attacks.

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Sánchez said the attack was perpetrated by the EMC guerrilla group, the largest offshoot of Farc.

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Related Words

• commando 
• mercenary 
• terrorist