vigilante English · revision 2403

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌvɪdʒɪˈlænti/ ''(UK)''; /ˌvɪdʒəˈlænti/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|es|vigilante|t=watchman, vigilant]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|la|vigilāns|t=watchful]], present participle of ''vigilāre'' “to keep watch”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline) from ''vigil'' “watchful, awake”.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A member of a vigilance committee (1856, American English).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Vigilance committees kept rough order on the American frontier and in other places where official authority was weak;^(Etymonline) a ''vigilant man'' is recorded in this sense in Missouri in 1824.^(Etymonline) The word was later broadened to anyone who takes law enforcement into their own hands.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) ''Vigilantism'' is recorded from 1937.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1824 – ''vigilant man'', in the same sense (Missouri).^(Etymonline)

+ * 1856 – a member of a vigilance committee.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1899 – a night watchman.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1937 – ''vigilantism''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who takes law enforcement into their own hands, often violently.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A member of a vigilance committee.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Done summarily, without lawful procedure, as in ''vigilante justice''.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vigilantism]]

+ * [[vigilanteism]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vigil]]

+ * [[vigilant]]

+ * [[lynch]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}