gendarmery

9.9

A police force that is trained like soldiers and keeps public order

noun

: gendarmería

The villagers called the gendarmery when they noticed suspicious activity near the border.

Examples

The gendarmery was called to maintain order during the protest.
The French gendarmery played a crucial role in maintaining order during the festival.
International observers praised the professionalism of the local gendarmery.
In France, the gendarmery plays a vital role in national security.
The gendarmery was deployed to maintain order during the national celebrations.
In rural areas, the gendarmery often serves as the main law enforcement agency.
The gendarmery patrols the borders to prevent illegal crossings and smuggling.

Synonyms

force

vsgendarmery

∞ 2.3

An organized group of people like soldiers or police

is specifically a military-style national law body rather than any organized group

police force

vsgendarmery

146 2.0

A group of officers who keep order and safety in a town or city

is the military-style, national version rather than a local organization

military police

vsgendarmery

17 3.5

People in the military who make sure others follow rules, keep order, and guard prisoners

is a national military-style service for civilian policing and rural duties

constabulary

vsgendarmery

6 8.1

A local police force that serves a county or town

is more military and national than local or historical district organizations

gendarmerie

vsgendarmery

1 9.9

A police force organized like an army that patrols the countryside and highways

is the English variant spelling for the same concept used in some countries

Surface Forms

gendarmery singular

gendarmerys plural

Etymology

Gendarmery comes from the old French phrase gens d'armes, which means 'people of arms' or 'armed men'. These were soldiers who acted like police, so a gendarmery today is a military-style police force — think of an 'armed' police group.