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vigilante
[ vij-uh-lan-tee ]
/ ˌvɪdʒ əˈlæn ti /
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noun
a member of a vigilance committee.
any person who takes the law into their own hands, such as by avenging a crime.
adjective
done violently and summarily, without recourse to lawful procedures: vigilante justice.
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Origin of vigilante
An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; from Spanish: literally, “vigilant”
OTHER WORDS FROM vigilante
vig·i·lan·te·ism, vig·i·lan·tism [vij-uh-lan-tiz-uhm, vij-uh-luhn-tiz-uhm], /ˌvɪdʒ əˈlæn tɪz əm, ˈvɪdʒ ə lənˌtɪz əm/, nounWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH vigilante
vigilant, vigilanteWords nearby vigilante
vigia, vigil, vigilance, vigilance committee, vigilant, vigilante, vigilantism, Vigilius, vigil light, Vigil Mass, vigintillion
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use vigilante in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for vigilante
vigilante
/ (ˌvɪdʒɪˈlæntɪ) /
noun
one of an organized group of citizens who take upon themselves the protection of their district, properties, etc
Also called: vigilance man US a member of a vigilance committee
Word Origin for vigilante
C19: from Spanish, from Latin vigilāre to keep watch
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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