Definitions for contraband

• Definition
• Anagrams (449)

contraband con·tra·band

Spelling: [kon-truh-band]

IPA: /ˈkɒn trəˌbænd/

Contraband is a 10 letter English word. It's valid Scrabble word worth 15 points. It's valid Words with friends word worth 19 points.

You can make 449 anagrams from letters in contraband (aabcdnnort).

Definitions for contraband

noun

1. anything prohibited by law from being imported or exported.
2. goods imported or exported illegally.
3. illegal or prohibited trade; smuggling.
4. International Law. contraband of war.
5. (during the American Civil War) a black slave who escaped to or was brought within the Union lines.

adjective

1. prohibited from export or import.

Origin of contraband

1520-30; earlier contrabanda Spanish Italian contrabando (now contrabbando), equivalent to contra contra¹ + Medieval Latin bandum, variant of bannum

Examples for contraband

He wanted its earrings—they were contraband of war, I suppose.

Of course, as Singer notes, “Smuggling things that are contraband at a prison is not a national security emergency.”

But something new in this veracious narration—the contraband.

The cargo had been well shipped by men skilled in the subtle art of contraband.

Suppose she has to pay excess on her luggage, or to wrangle about contraband?

He was convicted of perjury, served 30 days, and went back to a swashbuckling career in contraband.

Of this state of things we were informed by a contraband we chanced to meet.

Yazbek says no one takes names, and no one checks for weapons or other contraband.

Prison guards in Lima found a contraband mobile phone in his prison cell that he claimed was given to him by the warden.

A CBP dog sniffs around for contraband like drugs, food, weapons, people.