paramilitary
adjEtymology From para- + military.
1
Relating to a paramilitary.
- Derived terms
- antiparamilitary, paramilitarily, paramilitarism, paramilitarist
paramilitary
nounUK /ˌpæɹəˈmɪlɪˌtɹi/ · US /ˌpæɹəˈmɪlɪˌtɛɹi/
Etymology From para- + military.
1
A group of civilians trained and organized in a military fashion, but which do not represent the formal forces of a sovereign power.
- From the start of its operations in Colombia, the company was on guard against the decadeslong civil strife in the country between left-wing guerrilla and right-wing paramilitary groups, witnesses have testified.2007 July 13, Kyle Whitmire, “Suit in U.S. Over Murders in Colombia”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2021:
- Cossack paramilitaries operate in Ukraine and southern Russia. […] Before he entered eastern Ukraine, Girkin led paramilitary groups in Crimea and negotiated with Ukrainian military officers in attempts to induce them to defect to Russia.2014, “Little Green Men”: A Primer on Modern Russian Unconventional Warfare, Ukraine 2013–2014, Fort Bragg, North Carolina: The United States Army Special Operations Command, pages 44-45:
2
Colloquial A member of a paramilitary group.