Paramilitary Meaning
/ˌpæɹəˈmɪlɪˌtɹi/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA group of civilians trained and organized in a military fashion, but which do not represent the formal forces of a sovereign power.
nounA member of a paramilitary group.
Sentence Examples
Sami organized his gang in a paramilitary structure with him in command.
The Ukrainian army uses paramilitary groups like the Azov Battalion.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The group operated as a ____ force, using military training but no official status.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The government deployed ____ forces to assist the police in controlling the unrest in the capital.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- Proto-Hellenic *pərai Ancient Greek πᾰρᾰ́ (părắ) Ancient Greek πᾰρᾰ- (pără-)der. English para- English military English paramilitary From para- + military.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The group operated as a ____ force, using military training but no official status.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The government deployed ____ forces to assist the police in controlling the unrest in the capital.