Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A military commander exercising civil power in a region, whether in nominal allegiance to the national government or in defiance of it.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A high military officer in a warlike nation.
  • noun A local ruler or bandit leader usually where the government is weak.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun supreme military leader exercising civil power in a region especially one accountable to nobody when the central government is weak

Etymologies

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Examples

  • The term warlord is applied to the commanders of the Afghan resistance who fell out with each other after the defeat of the Soviets.

    unknown title 2009

  • This NY Times article on a Pentagon-funded Afghani warlord is classic - the US military has anointed an illiterate highway police officer with more wealth (gets paid $2.5 million/month!!), and more power than any democratically elected or appointed official in the region!

    Accountability 2010

  • This NY Times article on a Pentagon-funded Afghani warlord is classic - the US military has anointed an illiterate highway police officer with more wealth (gets paid $2.5 million/month!!), and more power than any democratically elected or appointed official in the region!

    2 posts from June 2010 2010

  • This NY Times article on a Pentagon-funded Afghani warlord is classic - the US military has anointed an illiterate highway police officer with more wealth (gets paid $2.5 million/month!!), and more power than any democratically elected or appointed official in the region!

    Economics 2010

  • This NY Times article on a Pentagon-funded Afghani warlord is classic - the US military has anointed an illiterate highway police officer with more wealth (gets paid $2.5 million/month!!), and more power than any democratically elected or appointed official in the region!

    Integrity 2010

  • This NY Times article on a Pentagon-funded Afghani warlord is classic - the US military has anointed an illiterate highway police officer with more wealth (gets paid $2.5 million/month!!), and more power than any democratically elected or appointed official in the region!

    Politics 2010

  • This NY Times article on a Pentagon-funded Afghani warlord is classic - the US military has anointed an illiterate highway police officer with more wealth (gets paid $2.5 million/month!!), and more power than any democratically elected or appointed official in the region!

    good business 2010

  • This NY Times article on a Pentagon-funded Afghani warlord is classic - the US military has anointed an illiterate highway police officer with more wealth (gets paid $2.5 million/month!!), and more power than any democratically elected or appointed official in the region!

    ~synthesis~ 2010

  • This NY Times article on a Pentagon-funded Afghani warlord is classic - the US military has anointed an illiterate highway police officer with more wealth (gets paid $2.5 million/month!!), and more power than any democratically elected or appointed official in the region!

    good business 2010

  • This NY Times article on a Pentagon-funded Afghani warlord is classic - the US military has anointed an illiterate highway police officer with more wealth (gets paid $2.5 million/month!!), and more power than any democratically elected or appointed official in the region!

    Education 2010

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