al-Qaeda

Or al-Qai·da

[al-key-duh, ‑-kahy-duh]

noun

1. a radical Sunni Muslim organization dedicated to the elimination of a Western presence in Arab countries and militantly opposed to Western foreign policy: founded by Osama bin Laden in 1988.

al-Qaeda

/ ælˈkaɪdə, ælkɑːˈiːdə /

noun

1. a loosely-knit militant Islamic organization led and funded by Osama bin Laden, by whom it was established in the late 1980s from Arab volunteers who had fought the Soviet troops previously based in Afghanistan; known or believed to be behind a number of operations against Western, especially US, interests, including bomb attacks on two US embassies in Africa in 1998 and the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York in 2001

Al Qaeda

1. An Islamic terrorist network headed by Osama bin Laden. It is generally believed to have been responsible for the September 11 attacks.

Word History and Origins

Origin of al-Qaeda¹

From the Arabic word al-qa'ida, literally, the base

Word History and Origins

Origin of al-Qaeda¹

C20: from Arabic al-qā`ida the base

Example Sentences

He also repeatedly claimed there were links between Iraq and al-Qaeda, the terror group led by Osama bin Laden that claimed responsibility for the 9/11 attacks.

Read more on BBC

He also said al-Qaeda and Islamic State group were "once again becoming more ambitious" and "taking advantage of instability overseas to gain firmer footholds".

Read more on BBC

Long queues have been snaking around petrol stations in Mali's capital a month after militants from an al-Qaeda affiliate imposed a fuel blockade by attacking tankers on major highways.

Read more on BBC

Al-Shabab is affiliated to al-Qaeda and has waged a brutal insurgency against the government in Somalia for nearly 20 years.

Read more on BBC

These are similar powers to those applied to al-Qaeda after 9/11.

Read more on BBC