noun
- plural of contra; rebel forces that opposed the Sandinista government in Nicaragua during the 1980s
Usage: historical; political
Examples
- The contras received support from the United States during the civil war.
- Many contras operated from bases in Honduras.
- The Iran-Contra affair involved secret funding for the contras.
- Peace negotiations eventually ended the conflict between the Sandinistas and the contras.
- Former contras were integrated into Nicaraguan society after the war ended.