contraband
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contraband
- /ˈkɒn.tɹəˌbænd/ UK
- /ˈkɑn.tɹəˌbænd/ US
Where it comes from
From Spanish contrabanda (modern spelling contrabando), from Italian contrabando (modern spelling contrabbando), from contra (“against”) + bando (“ban”), and reinforced by French contrebande.
noun contrabands
- Any goods which are illicit or illegal to possess.
- Goods which are prohibited from being traded, smuggled goods.
- A black slave during the American Civil War who had escaped to, or been captured by, Union forces. While some Yanks treated contrabands with a degree of equity or benevolence, the more typical response was indifference, contempt, or cruelty.
adjective more contraband · most contraband
- Prohibited from being traded. … when the seizure is made in connection with a violation involving a contraband article covered by section 1 (b) (1) of the said Act; …
verb contrabands · contrabanding · contrabanded
- To import illegally; to smuggle. there are also searched for concealed Slaves, and goods contrabanded
- To declare prohibited; to forbid. The law severely contrabands / Our taking business off men's hands.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: bootleg, black-market, illegal, black, smuggled, smuggling, smuggler, trafficking, smuggle, felony, dutiable, counterfeit, haul, private, illicit, forbidden
Translations
Every language
noun goods which are prohibited from being traded, smuggled goods
| Español | contrabando |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 禁制品 kinseihin, 密売品 mitsubaihin |
| 中文 | 禁品 jìnpǐn, 違禁品 /违禁品 wéijìnpǐn |
| Português | contrabando |
| Français | contrebande |
| Deutsch | Schmuggelware, Kontrebande, Konterbande |
| Italiano | contrabbando |
| Ελληνικά | κοντραμπάντο kontrampánto, λαθρεμπόριο lathrempório |
| Русский | контраба́нда kontrabánda |
| العربية | تَهْرِيب tahrīb |
verb To import illegally
| Português | contrabandear |
|---|
Talk about this word "contraband." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/contraband. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. contraband. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/contraband "contraband." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/contraband.Cite this
@misc{contraband_2026,
title = {contraband},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/contraband},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
