Insurgent definition
- Designating or of a revolt or rebellion not well enough organized to be recognized in international law as belligerency.
- Designating or of a faction in revolt against the leadership of a political party.
Che Guevara was an example of an insurgent.
Burning the flag of the government you are trying to overthrow is an example of insurgent behavior.
Origin of insurgent
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From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Latin īnsurgentem, accusative singular of īnsurgēns, present active participle of īnsurgō (“I rise up against, revolt”), from in (“against”) + surgō (“I rise”), itself from sub (“up from below”) + regō (“I guide, direct, rule, govern, administer”), from Proto-Indo-European *reg- (“to move in a straight line, to rule, guide, lead straight, put right”).
From Wiktionary