vigilante

[ vij-uh-lan-tee ]
/ ˌvɪdʒ əˈlæn ti /

noun

a member of a vigilance committee.
any person who takes the law into his or her own hands, as by avenging a crime.

adjective

done violently and summarily, without recourse to lawful procedures: vigilante justice.

Origin of vigilante

1825–35, Americanism; < Spanish: vigilant

OTHER WORDS FROM vigilante

vig·i·lan·te·ism, vig·i·lan·tism [vij-uh-lan-tiz-uh m, vij-uh-luh n-tiz-uh m] /ˌvɪdʒ əˈlæn tɪz əm, ˈvɪdʒ ə lənˌtɪz əm/, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH vigilante

vigilant vigilante

Example sentences from the Web for vigilantism

British Dictionary definitions for vigilantism (1 of 2)

vigilantism
/ (ˌvɪdʒɪˈlænˌtɪzəm) /

noun

US the methods, conduct, attitudes, etc, associated with vigilantes, esp militancy, bigotry, or suspiciousness

British Dictionary definitions for vigilantism (2 of 2)

vigilante
/ (ˌvɪdʒɪˈlæntɪ) /

noun

one of an organized group of citizens who take upon themselves the protection of their district, properties, etc
Also called: vigilance man US a member of a vigilance committee

Word Origin for vigilante

C19: from Spanish, from Latin vigilāre to keep watch