militia

Plural: militiae, militias

Noun

• A civilian force, often part-time soldiers, ready for emergency service.
• civilians trained as soldiers but not part of the regular army
• the entire body of physically fit civilians eligible by law for military service; ; --United States Constitution
  • "their troops were untrained militia"
  • "Congress shall have power to provide for calling forth the militia"
• 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.
• Synonym of militsia: the national police force of certain countries (e.g. Belarus).

Examples

• He had a small militia of two-letter words ready for defense.

Synonyms

reserves, militsia