noun
guerrilla
guh-RIH-luh
noun
1
A fighter in a small, independent armed group that uses surprise raids rather than open battle, typically against a larger regular army.
"The guerrillas retreated into the mountains after the ambush."
adj
1
Relating to unconventional, small-scale tactics, especially in warfare or marketing.
"The startup relied on guerrilla marketing instead of TV ads."
How to Use Guerrilla
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSmall-scale, hit-and-run fighting — or, more loosely, any scrappy, unconventional tactic.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "gorilla," the animal — they sound identical but are unrelated.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
guerrilla warfare
guerrilla marketing
guerrilla fighters
Word Forms
more guerrilla comparative, guerrillas plural, most guerrilla superlative
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The _____ retreated into the mountains after the ambush.
Etymology
From Spanish guerrilla, "little war," a diminutive of guerra ("war"), coined during Spain's fight against Napoleon.