paramilitary — organized similarly to a military force but not part of a country's regular armed forces
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: organized similarly to a military force but not part of a country's regular armed forces
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌpærəˈmɪləˌteri/
Example Sentences
- The movie featured a paramilitary group that turned out to be terrible at actual military tactics.
- Paramilitary organizations often operate in areas where government control is weak.
- His paramilitary uniform looked impressive until he tripped over his own boots during the parade.
paramilitary
ADJECTIVE[/ˌpærəˈmɪləˌteri/]
organized similarly to a military force but not part of a country's regular armed forces
Military-like but not official army
Paramilitary forces, like the military, all rest in the cemetery
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word emerged in the 1960s as a modern English compound formed from Greek 'para' (beside, alongside, similar) and 'military' (relating to armed forces). It developed to denote armed organizations that resemble regular military forces but operate outside official state control.
Breakdown
para- (Greek: beside, alongside, similar to) + military (from Latin militaris, relating to soldiers or armed forces). The prefix 'para-' indicates a structure parallel to or resembling the main form.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The movie featured a paramilitary group that turned out to be terrible at actual military tactics.”
“Paramilitary organizations often operate in areas where government control is weak.”
“His paramilitary uniform looked impressive until he tripped over his own boots during the parade.”
“The government negotiated with various paramilitary factions to restore peace.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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