/kon"treuh band'/ , n.
1. anything prohibited by law from being imported or exported.
2. goods imported or exported illegally.
3. illegal or prohibited trade; smuggling.
4. Internat. Law. See contraband of war .
5. (during the American Civil War) a black slave who escaped to or was brought within the Union lines.
adj.
6. prohibited from export or import.
[ 1520-30; earlier contrabanda contrabando (now contrabbando ), equiv. to contra- CONTRA- 1 + ML bandum, var. of bannum BAN 2 ]