armatoles
|ar-ma-to-les|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑr.məˈtoʊl/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑː.məˈtəʊl/
(armatole)
armed local militia
Etymology
'armatole' originates from Modern Greek, specifically the word 'αρματολός' (transliterated 'armatolós'), where the element ultimately traces to Latin 'armatus' (from 'arma') meaning 'armed' or 'weapons'.
'armatole' changed from Medieval/Modern Greek 'αρματολός' (armatolós), itself influenced by Latin/Italo-Latin forms such as 'armatus'/'armato', and was borrowed into English in modern historical accounts as 'armatole'.
Initially it meant 'an armed person' (a man with arms), but over time the term became specialized to mean 'a member of the local semi-official Christian militia in Ottoman Greece and neighboring Balkan areas'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a member of a local, semi-official armed militia in Ottoman-ruled Greek regions and the Balkans, typically Christian fighters appointed or tolerated to keep order and defend villages (often contrasted with klephts, who were outlaw bands).
During the 18th century many armatoles acted as local enforcers and sometimes allied with klephts against Ottoman authorities.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/16 01:17