different between vigilante vs watchman

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish vigilante (“watchman, guard”), from Latin vigilans. Doublet of vigilant.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /v?d???lænti/, /v?d???l??nte?/

Noun

vigilante (plural vigilantes)

1. A person who considers it their own responsibility to uphold the law in their neighborhood and often does so summarily and without legal jurisdiction. [from 19th c.]

Derived terms

• vigilantism
• digilante

Translations

Anagrams

• genitival

French

Adjective

vigilante

1. feminine singular of vigilant

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vigilans, vigilantem.

Verb

vigilante

1. present participle of vigilare

Adjective

vigilante (plural vigilanti)

1. vigilant, watchful, alert

   Synonyms: vigile, attento

Related terms

• vigilanza
• vigilare

Noun

vigilante m or f (plural vigilanti)

1. security guard
2. vigilante

Latin

Participle

vigilante

1. ablative masculine singular of vigil?ns
2. ablative feminine singular of vigil?ns
3. ablative neuter singular of vigil?ns

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vigilans, vigilantem.

Adjective

vigilante m or f (plural vigilantes, comparable)

1. vigilant; watchful; observant (alert and paying close attention)

Derived terms

• vigilantemente

Related terms

• vigilância
• vigilar

Noun

vigilante m, f (plural vigilantes)

1. a person whose job is to watch over something

Further reading

• “vigilante” in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa.

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vigilans, vigilantem.

Adjective

vigilante (plural vigilantes)

1. watchful, alert, wakeful

Noun

vigilante m or f (plural vigilantes)

1. guard, watchman

   Synonym: guarda

Derived terms

Related terms

• vigilancia
• vigilar

Tagalog

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish vigilante

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bid?i?lante/

Noun

vigilante

1. vigilante
2. a person suspected to be involved in extrajudicial killings in the drug war in the Philippines from 2016.

Related terms

• salvage

English

Etymology

From Middle English waccheman, equivalent to watch +? -man.

Noun

watchman (plural watchmen)

1. One set to watch; a person who keeps guard, especially one who guards a building, or the streets of a city, by night.

Derived terms

• night watchman

Related terms

• watchdog
• watchwoman

See also

• security guard

Translations