Meaning of the word militia in English

What does militia mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

militia

US /məˈlɪʃ.ə/
UK /mɪˈlɪʃ.ə/
"militia" picture

Noun

a military force that is raised from the civil population to supplement a regular army in an emergency, as opposed to a professional force.

Example:
The local militia was called upon to defend the town.
Many countries maintain a citizen militia for national defense.