posse comitatus

Meaning

1. (historical) The able-bodied men over 15 in a given county who can be summoned by the sheriff to help keep the peace, or arrest a felon; also a group of men so gathered.
2. (figuratively) Any band of men, especially armed or hostile.

Synonyms

posse

force

vigilance committee

Translations

Landsturm

αστυνομικό απόσπασμα

Bande

destacamento

posse comitatus

Etymology

From Late Latin posse comitātūs (“force of the county”, literally “power of the county”).