guerrilla
UK[ɡəˈrɪlə]US[ɡəˈrɪlə]
n
a member of a small independent group taking part in irregular fighting, typically against larger regular forces.
adj
referring to actions or activities performed in an irregular, improvised, and often spontaneous way, typically to achieve a goal with limited resources.
Etymology
the word 'guerrilla' entered english in the early 19th century from spanish, where 'guerrilla' is a diminutive form of 'guerra', meaning 'war'. thus, its literal sense is 'little war'. it was first used to describe the irregular, small-scale combat tactics employed by spanish and portuguese resistance fighters against napoleon's armies during the peninsular war. the term logically evolved from denoting the conflict itself to referring to the individual combatants who waged it, solidifying its modern meaning of a member of an irregular, independent paramilitary unit.
Analysis
this word is a loanword adopted as a single, unsegmentable unit into english.
Examples
the guerrilla fighters used the dense jungle for cover.
the company employed guerrilla marketing tactics to promote the new product.
the conflict evolved into a protracted guerrilla war.