Guer*ril"la (?), n. [Sp., lit., a
little war, skirmish, dim. of guerra war, fr. OHG.
werra discord, strife. See War.] 1.
An irregular mode of carrying on war, by the constant attacks of
independent bands, adopted in the north of Spain during the
Peninsular war.
2. One who carries on, or assists in carrying
on, irregular warfare; especially, a member of an independent band
engaged in predatory excursions in war time.
&fist; The term guerrilla is the diminutive of the Spanish
word guerra, war, and means petty war, that is, war
carried on by detached parties; generally in the mountains. . . . A
guerrilla party means, an irregular band of armed men, carrying on an
irregular war, not being able, according to their character as a
guerrilla party, to carry on what the law terms a regular war.
F. Lieder.
Guer*ril"la, a. Pertaining to, or
engaged in, warfare carried on irregularly and by independent bands;
as, a guerrilla party; guerrilla warfare.
