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Militia

/məˈlɪʃə/
C1
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(noun) An army of trained civilians, which may be an official reserve army, called upon in time of need, the entire able-bodied population of a state which may also be called upon, or a private force not under government control.

The Mahdi Army is a private militia in Iraq.
The militia was formed to defend citizens in an emergency.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The local volunteer ____ was formed by the townspeople to provide additional defense during times of emergency or outside threat.

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