paramilitary

[ par-uh-mil-i-ter-ee ]
/ ˌpær əˈmɪl ɪˌtɛr i /

adjective

noting or pertaining to an organization operating as, in place of, or as a supplement to a regular military force: a paramilitary police unit.

noun, plural par·a·mil·i·tar·ies.

Also par·a·mil·i·ta·rist [par-uh-mil-i-ter-ist] /ˌpær əˈmɪl ɪ tər ɪst/. a person employed in such a force.

Origin of paramilitary

First recorded in 1930–35; para-1 + military

Example sentences from the Web for paramilitary

British Dictionary definitions for paramilitary

paramilitary
/ (ˌpærəˈmɪlɪtərɪ, -trɪ) /

adjective

denoting or relating to a group of personnel with military structure functioning either as a civil force or in support of military forces
denoting or relating to a force with military structure conducting armed operations against a ruling or occupying power

noun

  1. a paramilitary force
  2. a member of such a force