Definition

Noun: 1. The French Resistance during World War II: A collective term for the clandestine resistance groups and networks in France that fought against the German occupation and the collaborationist Vichy regime. 2. A member of this resistance: An individual guerrilla fighter who was part of the French underground movement during World War II.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Referring to the organization):
  • The maquis provided vital intelligence to the Allied forces.
  • Life in the maquis was dangerous and required constant movement to avoid capture.
• Noun (Referring to an individual):
  • He escaped to the mountains and became a maquis.
  • The maquis used sabotage to disrupt German supply lines.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used historically and retains strong associations with the specific context of the French Resistance from 1940-1944.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe any clandestine resistance movement, though this is less common and usually invokes the historical French example.

Variants and Related Words

• Maquisard (noun): A synonym for an individual resistance fighter, directly from the French term. ()

Synonyms

• Resistance fighter
• Partisan (in the context of WWII)
• Underground fighter
• Guerrilla (specific to the individual combatant role)

Notes on Meaning

The word originates from the Corsican Italian "macchia" and the French "maquis," meaning scrubland or dense brush. This terrain provided cover for the resistance fighters, who were initially called "maquisards" (men of the maquis) before the term was shortened. The primary meaning is inextricably linked to World War II history.

Noun

1. the French underground that fought against the German occupation in World War II
2. a guerrilla fighter in the French underground in World War II