vigilante

[vij-uh-lan-tee] /ˌvɪdʒ əˈlæn ti/
noun
1.
a member of a vigilance committee.
2.
any person who takes the law into his or her own hands, as by avenging a crime.
adjective
3.
done violently and summarily, without recourse to lawful procedures:
vigilante justice.
Origin
1825-35, Americanism; < Spanish: vigilant
Related forms
vigilanteism, vigilantism
[vij-uh-lan-tiz-uh m, vij-uh-luh n-tiz-uh m] /ˌvɪdʒ əˈlæn tɪz əm, ˈvɪdʒ ə lənˌtɪz əm/ (Show IPA), noun
Can be confused
vigilant, vigilante.
Examples from the web for vigilante
  • If you become militant or try to be a vigilante you are only going to cause problems.
  • They held vigilante patrols to enforce public morals.
  • If so, you're saying that you would condon vigilante geoengineering.
  • Mo, as an example of vigilante action by a community angry at a town bully.
  • He's a vigilante with some amazing weapons and tools at his disposal.
  • He also aided a vigilante effort that publicly named several suspects.
  • Anonymous had a vigilante streak, and it could be downright mean.
  • All of us, that is, except the sanctimonious vigilante feigning moral outrage over this.
  • In comic books, conquering fear is a good basis for a successful vigilante lifestyle.
  • It is not handled by some self-appointed vigilante who take it upon himself to avenge any affront to another.
British Dictionary definitions for vigilante

vigilante

/ˌvɪdʒɪˈlæntɪ/
noun
1.
one of an organized group of citizens who take upon themselves the protection of their district, properties, etc
2.
(US) Also called vigilance man. a member of a vigilance committee
Word Origin
C19: from Spanish, from Latin vigilāre to keep watch
Word Origin and History for vigilante
n.

"member of a vigilance committee," 1856, American English, from Spanish vigilante, literally "watchman," from Latin vigilantem (see vigilance). Vigilant man in same sense is attested from 1824 in a Missouri context. Vigilance committees kept informal rough order on the frontier or in other places where official authority was imperfect.