Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Militia
Mi-li′tia
,Noun.
[L., military service, soldiery, fr.
miles
, militis
, soldier: cf. F. milice
.] 1.
In the widest sense, the whole military force of a nation, including both those engaged in military service as a business, and those competent and available for such service; specifically, the body of citizens enrolled for military instruction and discipline, but not subject to be called into actual service except in emergencies.
The king’s captains and soldiers fight his battles, and yet . . . the power of the
militia
is he. Jer. Taylor.
2.
Military service; warfare.
[Obs.]
Baxter.
Webster 1828 Edition
Militia
MILI'TIA
,Noun.
Definition 2024
militia
militia
English
Noun
militia (plural militias)
- An army of trained civilians, which may be an official reserve army, called upon in time of need, the entire able-bodied population of a state which may also be called upon, or a private force not under government control.
- The national police force of certain countries (e.g. Ukraine).
Translations
army of trained civilians called upon in time of need
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Latin
Etymology
From mīles (“soldier”).
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /miːˈli.ti.a/
Noun
mīlitia f (genitive mīlitiae); first declension
- military service
- 27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab urbe condita libri 26.1
-
huic generi militum senatus eundem, quem Cannensibus, finem statuerat militiae.
- For this class of soldier the senate had established a limit in duration to their military service, which was the same as the men at Cannae.
-
huic generi militum senatus eundem, quem Cannensibus, finem statuerat militiae.
-
- the military, army, soldiery
- warfare, war, campaign
- civil service, profession, employment
- (figuratively) military spirit, courage, bravery
Inflection
First declension.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | mīlitia | mīlitiae |
| genitive | mīlitiae | mīlitiārum |
| dative | mīlitiae | mīlitiīs |
| accusative | mīlitiam | mīlitiās |
| ablative | mīlitiā | mīlitiīs |
| vocative | mīlitia | mīlitiae |
Related terms
Descendants
References
- militia in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- militia in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- MILITIA in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
- Félix Gaffiot (1934), “militia”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
- Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
- to take service in the army: militiam (only in the sing.) capessere
- to try to avoid military service: militiam detrectare, subterfugere
- to be excused military duty: militiae vacationem habere
- to retire from service: militia functum, perfunctum esse
- to take service in the army: militiam (only in the sing.) capessere
- militia in Ramminger, Johann (accessed 16 July 2016) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, pre-publication website, 2005-2016