militia

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A group of ordinary citizens trained as soldiers to fight in an emergency, rather than professional troops.

   When the regular army was overwhelmed, a local militia was formed to defend the town.

2. 2
   noun

   An armed group acting outside official government control.

   Rival militias fought for control of the capital after the government collapsed.

From Latin mīlitia (“army, military force/service”), from mīles (“soldier”). Doublet of militsia. The use of "militia" rather than "police" to refer to the police force (of Belarus and some other countries) originated in the USSR.

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