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

Explanation

A group that's described as being paramilitary resembles an organized army. During the American Revolutionary War, the minutemen were a paramilitary group that fought in the earliest battles. When civilians organize themselves (or are organized) into a group that appears to be military, or that assists actual military troops, that's a paramilitary organization. You can also call it, simply, a paramilitary. The early twentieth century word combines the prefix para-, "near" or "resembling," and military, from its Latin root militaris, "of soldiers or war."

Example Sentences

Plain-clothed security - from the paramilitary volunteer Basij, or the Islamic Revolutionary Guards - are ubiquitous now.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

John Kani was on his way to joining the Umkhonto We Sizwe paramilitary wing in 1965 when he took a detour to a Serpent Players drama group rehearsal in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

The United States in February removed sanctions on Mali's defense minister, Sadio Camara, that had been in place over allegations of working with the Kremlin-linked paramilitary Wagner Group, which has been accused of abuses.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

The burst waters course through the Goma valley, drawing attention from security forces stationed at a paramilitary camp in Dzanak five miles away.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

They looked more like an army of Robocops—black paramilitary outfits, helmets, automatic rifles.

From "All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds