Guerrilla

noun; also attributive/adjective (as in "guerrilla warfare", "guerrilla tactics")

/ɡəˈrɪlə/

A form of irregular warfare in which small, mobile groups of fighters use hit-and-run tactics — ambushes, raids, and rapid retreats — against a larger conventional army, as perfected by Shivaji in the Western Ghats.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

In counter-insurgency operations, the state's dilemma is acute: heavy-handed force against guerrillas who melt into the local population often alienates that very population, whereas a "hearts and minds" approach addressing grievances of governance and development tends to drain the insurgency of its social base.

Synonyms

insurgentpartisanirregularrebelfreedom fightermilitant

Antonyms

regular (soldier)conventional soldierregular army

🌱 Word Family

guerrilla (adj, attributive), guerrilla warfare (n phrase), guerrillero (n, Spanish)

🔡 Root

Spanish guerrilla = little war (diminutive); guerra = war; from Germanic werra = strife

📜 Etymology

From Spanish guerrilla, a diminutive of guerra ("war"), itself from Germanic werra ("strife"); the term entered English in the early 19th century during the Peninsular War against Napoleon.

🧠 Memory Hook

"Little war" — Spanish guerra (war) + the diminutive -illa. Picture a lone fighter ambushing from the jungle, easily confused with a "gorilla" (same sound) swinging out to strike — a small force waging a small, scrappy war.

🏛️ History & Culture 📖 Seen in: Maratha Empire (1674–1818)

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