noun
Uncommon
contraband
KON-truh-band
Contraband (noun) means Goods that are illegal to own, trade, or smuggle. Example: “Customs officers found contraband cigarettes hidden inside the truck.”
noun
1
Goods that are illegal to own, trade, or smuggle.
"Customs officers found contraband cigarettes hidden inside the truck."
"Prison guards regularly search cells for contraband phones."
adjective
1
Forbidden to be traded or carried.
"The ship was carrying contraband weapons across the border."
How to use contraband
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishGoods that are banned or smuggled illegally.
Common pairings
contraband goods
smuggle contraband
confiscate contraband
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Word forms
- Plural
- contrabands
- Third person singular
- contrabands
- Past tense
- contrabanded
- Comparative
- more contraband
- Superlative
- most contraband
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Customs officers found _____ cigarettes hidden inside the truck.
Etymology
From Spanish contrabanda, from Italian contrabando, built from contra ("against") and bando ("ban"), reinforced later by French contrebande.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “contraband” mean?
The word “contraband” means goods that are illegal to own, trade, or smuggle. In plain terms, goods that are banned or smuggled illegally.
How do you pronounce “contraband”?
“Contraband” is pronounced KON-truh-band (/ˈkɑn.tɹəˌbænd/ in IPA).
How do you use “contraband” in a sentence?
Here is “contraband” used in a sentence: “Customs officers found contraband cigarettes hidden inside the truck.”
What part of speech is “contraband”?
Depending on how it is used, “contraband” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “contraband” come from?
The word “contraband” comes from French. From Spanish contrabanda, from Italian contrabando, built from contra ("against") and bando ("ban"), reinforced later by French contrebande.
Is “contraband” a common word?
“Contraband” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “contraband” have?
“Contraband” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: goods that are illegal to own, trade, or smuggle.
