militia

American  

[mi-lish-uh] / mɪˈlɪʃ ə /

noun

1. a body of citizens enrolled for military service, and called out periodically for drill but serving full time only in emergencies.

2. a body of citizen soldiers as distinguished from professional soldiers.

3. all able-bodied males considered by law eligible for military service.

4. a body of citizens organized in a paramilitary group and typically regarding themselves as defenders of individual rights against the presumed interference of the federal government.

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militia British  

/ mɪˈlɪʃə /

noun

1. a body of citizen (as opposed to professional) soldiers

2. an organization containing men enlisted for service in emergency only

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Etymology

Origin of militia

1580–90; < Latin mīlitia soldiery, equivalent to mīlit- (stem of mīles ) soldier + -ia -ia

Explanation

If you live in a remote place that's under attack by an upstart band of thieves, start a militia. A militia is a band of civilians trained to do army type business, without officially joining the army. Militia comes from mīlet-, Latin for "soldier," but the word now refers to a band of fighters who aren't officially soldiers. Sometimes militias add on to regular army forces, like the citizen's militias who fought alongside regular troops in the Revolutionary War. But you'll frequently hear militia if you're listening to news about dangerously violent parts of the world where, instead of voting for change, groups form militias and fight for political power. It's also a verb: to militia.

Example Sentences

Federal authorities have said for years that neo-Nazi and anti-government militia groups pose the most active and lethal domestic threats, though recently authorities have noted increases in leftist and mixed-motive attacks.

From Salon • May 19, 2026

He was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018 for alleged involvement with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and for ties to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia in Lebanon.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

The Codeco militia claims to defend the rights of the mainly farming Lendu community, notably against the mainly pastoral Hema community.

From Barron's • May 9, 2026

For example, a former commander of a pro-Assad militia, Fadi Saqr, has been linked to the killings in Tadamon but is now working with the government's civil peace commission, raising concerns among activists about accountability.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

On the Canaan town green, the militia practiced loading and firing their muskets.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson