Other forms: contrabands
Contraband is goods it is illegal to own or to move. Seize the contraband, contraband cigarettes, smuggling contraband.
It covers both goods banned outright and goods moved illegally to avoid duty. In prison, contraband means anything not permitted inside — phones, tobacco, drugs — and finding it is a large part of the daily work. In wartime, contraband of war is material a neutral country may not supply to a belligerent. Note that the word means literally against the ban.
1nouncontrabandGoods it is illegal to own or to move.
“Customs officers found contraband cigarettes hidden in the lorry's spare tyre.”
contraband is illegal goods.
Italian contrabbando is contra, against, plus bando, a ban. Ban, banish and bandit come from the same proclamation.
French
contrebande
Italian
contrabando
Spanish
contrabanda
English, today
contraband
Built from
From Spanish contrabanda (modern spelling contrabando), from Italian contrabando (modern spelling contrabbando), from contra (“against”) + bando (“ban”), and reinforced by French contrebande.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Crime & Law, Spying & Secrecy