a body of citizens enrolled for military service, and called out periodically for drill but serving full time only in emergencies.
a body of citizen soldiers as distinguished from professional soldiers.
all able-bodied males considered by law eligible for military service.
a body of citizens organized in a paramilitary group and typically regarding themselves as defenders of individual rights against the presumed interference of the federal government.
Origin of militia
1580–90; <Latin mīlitia soldiery, equivalent to mīlit- (stem of mīles) soldier + -ia-ia
Words nearby militia
military police, military school, military science, militate, milites gloriosi, militia, militiaman, militia movement of the 1990s, milium, milk, milk-alkali syndrome
It’s that context, of deeply skeptical, gun-toting citizens fighting off what they see as government overreach, that explains how local militias can attract such zealous followers.
The Rise of American Militias, From Timothy McVeigh to Kyle Rittenhouse|Nick Fouriezos|September 6, 2020|Ozy
The key to understanding that movement’s role in the chaos of 2020 is knowing just how difficult it can be to pin down what apparent militia members believe — much less how they’re connected to each other and the broader movement.
How Trump And COVID-19 Have Reshaped The Modern Militia Movement|Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux|September 4, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
On the ground, the videographer chats with other people he identifies as part of “the militia” — including an eager and excited-looking kid who tells the videographer his name is Kyle.
How Trump And COVID-19 Have Reshaped The Modern Militia Movement|Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux|September 4, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
The same messages were echoing across internet forums and Facebook groups, including among more loosely organized corners of the militia movement, prompting people who weren’t part of formal militia groups to show up.
How Trump And COVID-19 Have Reshaped The Modern Militia Movement|Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux|September 4, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Still, Zuckerberg said the Kenosha Guard page and event that the group had posted violated a policy Facebook had put in place a couple of weeks ago banning militia and QAnon groups that may intend to organize violence.
Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook made an ‘operational mistake’ with Kenosha militia group|Danielle Abril|August 28, 2020|Fortune
Spending millions on speech is more like raising your own militia.
Undo Citizens United? We’d Only Scratch the Surface|Jedediah Purdy|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Islamist brigades including Suqur al-Sham, a 9,000-strong militia, are openly breaking with Western-favored rebel factions.
Spies Warned White House: Don’t Hit Al Qaeda in Syria|Shane Harris, Jamie Dettmer|November 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
From the militia perspective, the Shia factions in Iraq break down as follows.
The New Iraq War Could Be Won or Lost This Month by Baghdad Politics|Bartle Bull|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But there is a middle way from clean-cut hunkdom to looking like a militia leader who might boil a hitchhiker alive.
Leo, the Beard Has to Go: When a Man’s Facial Hair Reaches Crisis Point|Tim Teeman|September 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“They are army, not militia,” the sheik repeated throughout our conversation.
The Brewing Battle for Baghdad|Jacob Siegel|August 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
All through this he's been walking up and down the floor like he was drilling for the militia.
J. Poindexter, Colored|Irvin Shrewsbury Cobb
Either the militia must be called out or volunteers must be summoned for the purpose.
The History of the Confederate War, Its Causes and Its Conduct, Volume I (of 2)|George Cary Eggleston
Equally abortive, as might have been anticipated, was the scheme for raising a militia of 50,000 men.
Herzegovina|George Arbuthnot
They've got up a militia battalion for them now, and 'most everybody in town's got a uniform.
Captain Jinks, Hero|Ernest Crosby
Organized on April 22, 1776, they applied to the General Court to make them independent of the militia but not of the regiment.
Historic Homes|Mary H. Northend
British Dictionary definitions for militia
militia
/ (mɪˈlɪʃə) /
noun
a body of citizen (as opposed to professional) soldiers
an organization containing men enlisted for service in emergency only