What does brigand mean?
A brigand is a member of a band of armed robbers, typically one that operates in mountainous, forested, or otherwise remote terrain rather than on city streets. The word is more formal and literary than its common synonym 'bandit', and it tends to appear in historical or travel-writing contexts: accounts of Mediterranean hill country, the Apennines, or nineteenth-century Greece frequently describe travellers waylaid by brigands. Because such bands were sometimes romanticised as folk heroes resisting distant authorities, the word can carry a faintly picturesque connotation, though its core meaning is simply violent, organised robbery. Related forms include 'brigandage', denoting the practice or lifestyle of brigandry, and the adjective 'brigandish', meaning resembling or characteristic of a brigand. Writers choose 'brigand' when they want an elevated, slightly archaic register, or when describing banditry tied to specific wild landscapes rather than general crime. It remains a useful word for anyone reading history or classic literature.
nounA brigand is a member of a band of armed robbers, especially one operating in mountainous or remote regions. The word carries a literary or historical flavour, often evoking banditry in places like the Mediterranean or 19th-century countryside.
- A member of a gang of armed robbers, especially one based in mountains or remote country.
"The mountain passes were notorious for brigands who preyed on unwary travellers."
"The caravan was ambushed by brigands high in the Apennine passes."
"Nineteenth-century travel writers delighted in tales of Greek brigands holding tourists for ransom."
Regular plural; used when referring to multiple members of such a band.
"Local shepherds guided us safely past the camps of the brigands."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of brigand
'Brigand' entered English in the early 15th century from French, which took it from Italian 'brigante', meaning a fighter or skirmisher, derived ultimately from 'briga', meaning strife or struggle. The sense shifted from 'light-armed footsoldier' to 'armed robber' over time, reflecting how irregular fighters often turned to plunder. Cognates include 'brigandage' (the act of brigandry) and 'brigantine', originally a small swift ship favoured by pirates, sharing the same root idea of fighting or strife.
Related word forms
How brigand is actually used
Register: somewhat formal or literary; the everyday word is 'bandit'. Connotation: romanticised in historical writing, but strictly it denotes violent organised robbery.
Easily confused with brigand
A bandit is any armed robber, whereas a brigand specifically belongs to a group operating in rural, mountainous, or remote terrain and the term has a more archaic or literary tone.