paramilitary

American  

[par-uh-mil-i-ter-ee] / ˌpær əˈmɪl ɪˌtɛr i /

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.

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noun

plural

paramilitaries

1. Also paramilitarist a person employed in such a force.

paramilitary British  

/ 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

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noun

1. 1. a paramilitary force

   2. a member of such a force

Etymology

Origin of paramilitary

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

Example Sentences

Army tank driver in Iraq in 2010 and 2011 left him concerned about paramilitary groups in Venezuela, and the risks of regime change.

From The Wall Street Journal

On Saturday, the Mehr news agency reported that a member of an Iranian paramilitary force was killed during a demonstration in the country's west.

From Barron's

The Basij are a volunteer paramilitary force linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of the Islamic republic.

From Barron's

Treasury Department says the Bella 1 has links to the Quds Force, the foreign arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a powerful paramilitary and business entity.

From The Wall Street Journal

He took his family through the rocky spine of the Nuba Mountains and the surrounding valley, passing through both paramilitary and army checkpoints.

From Barron's