contraband
noun
Edmund Burke
Did you know?
Contraband first appeared in English in the early 1500s as a borrowing of Italian contrabbando. This Italian word can be traced to the Medieval Latin word contrabannum, a combination of contra- ("against") and bannum ("decree"). Bannum is Germanic in origin and is related to Old High German bannan ("to command"). Bannan is also related to Middle English bannen ("to summon or to curse"), the source of the English verb ban, which now means "to prohibit" but which once also meant "to curse."
Examples of contraband in a Sentence
Ben Szalinski,
CBS News,
26 June 2026
An alleged smuggling ring said to have airdropped drugs, cigarettes, cellphones, weapons and other contraband into 10 federal prisons in the South and Mid-Atlantic was based right here in Macon.
—
Aj Willingham,
AJC.com,
25 June 2026
The group allegedly used drones to drop contraband into 10 federal prisons.
—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
25 June 2026
Authorities say the rogue drone operation led out of a former daycare in Georgia was a staging ground where multiple drones were launched on covert missions to deliver the contraband by air to 10 federal prisons at night.
—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for contraband
Cite this Entry
“Contraband.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contraband. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
contraband
noun
from Italian contrabbando "smuggling," from Latin contrabannum, literally, "against the decree or command," from contra "against" and bannum, bannus "decree"; of Germanic origin
Legal Definition
contraband
noun
Italian contrabbando act of smuggling, from contra- against + bando edict, law
