paramilitary

[ par-uh-mil-i-ter-ee ]

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to an organization operating as, in place of, or as a supplement to a regular military force:

   a paramilitary police unit.

noun

, plural par·a·mil·i·tar·ies.

1. Also par·a·mil·i·ta·rist [] a person employed in such a force.

paramilitary

/ ˌpærəˈmɪlɪtərɪ; -trɪ /

adjective

1. denoting or relating to a group of personnel with military structure functioning either as a civil force or in support of military forces
2. denoting or relating to a force with military structure conducting armed operations against a ruling or occupying power

noun

1. 1. a paramilitary force
   2. a member of such a force

Word History and Origins

Origin of paramilitary¹

First recorded in 1930–35; para- ¹ + military

Example Sentences

Children did become co-opted into various paramilitary organizations during the conflict.

From Time

Perhaps all this is best understood as a spectrum moving from “parliamentary” to “paramilitary.”

From Washington Post

While members use the jargon and trappings of a paramilitary organization, in practice the group is made up of loosely connected chapters united by a right-wing ideology.

From Washington Post

Since its inception, the IRGC has nurtured militancy and supported a range of paramilitary groups.

From Time

She added a photo of Crowl in paramilitary gear and an Oath Keepers patch as “one of my guys,” and the pair allegedly took a selfie in video recorded in the Capitol Rotunda, the FBI said.

From Washington Post

Jobbik, whose paramilitary militia faction was banned in 2009, won 20 percent of the national vote in April.

From The Daily Beast

I condemn this action from the viewpoint of the Guards and the [paramilitary] Basij.

From The Daily Beast

According to its spokesman, the Nasser Salahuddin Brigades are the third-largest paramilitary group in Gaza.

From The Daily Beast

A paramilitary group he formed took credit last week for two gangland-style shootings of pro-Russian separatists.

From The Daily Beast

The conflict is up close and personal for the paramilitary  fighters.

From The Daily Beast

Paramilitary programs of Party-sponsored youth organizations are similar in many ways to those in the school system.

From Project Gutenberg