militia
mih-LISH-uh
/mɪˈlɪʃə/
A military force raised from the civil population to supplement a regular army in an emergency, as opposed to a professional army.
Implies a non-professional, often part-time, armed force composed of ordinary citizens, typically for defense or local security, but can also be irregular or insurgent.
The story behind the word. The word 'militia' comes from the Latin 'militia', which meant 'military service' or 'warfare'. This itself is derived from 'miles', meaning 'soldier'. So, a 'militia' literally refers to 'military service' performed by citizens, rather than professional soldiers. It captures the idea of ordinary people taking up arms for defense or in times of emergency.
Word relationships
- citizen army: A descriptive phrase for a militia.
- reserve force: Can be similar, but reserves are often trained and part of the official military structure, whereas militias can be less formal.
- home guard: A civilian defense organization, often for local protection.
- regular army: A professional, standing military force.
- professional soldiers: Individuals who serve in the military as a career.
Commonly confused with
- army: An 'army' is a large, organized, professional military force. A 'militia' is typically a smaller, non-professional, citizen-based force.
Word family
- militiaman (noun): A member of a militia.
Collocations
- citizen militia
- armed militia
- state militia
- private militia
Example sentences
- "The local militia was called upon to defend the town when the regular army units were deployed elsewhere." Describing a local defense force.
- "Many American colonies relied on militias for their defense before the establishment of a standing national army." In a historical context.
- "An armed militia group clashed with government forces near the border, escalating regional tensions." Referring to an armed group.
Memory hook
Think of 'MILITIA' as 'MILITARY' service by 'CITIZENS', not professional soldiers. Citizen Soldiers
When not to use
Do not use 'militia' for a professional, standing army. It specifically refers to citizen-soldiers.
Fun facts
- The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution refers to 'a well regulated Militia' as being 'necessary to the security of a free State'.
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