terrorist

American  

[ter-er-ist] / ˈtɛr ər ɪst /

noun

1. a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism.

2. a person who terrorizes or frightens others.

3. (formerly) a member of a political group in Russia aiming at the demoralization of the government by terror.

4. an agent or partisan of the revolutionary tribunal during the Reign of Terror in France.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of terrorism or terrorists.

   terrorist tactics.

terrorist British  

/ ˈtɛrərɪst /

noun

1. 1. a person who employs terror or terrorism, esp as a political weapon

   2. ( as modifier )

      terrorist tactics

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Other Word Forms

• terroristic adjective

Etymology

Origin of terrorist

First recorded in 1785–95; terror + -ist; compare French terroriste

Example Sentences

“The criminal complaint made a lot of allegations that our client rammed them. There were all these reports that our client had an assault weapon or was a domestic terrorist,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

The group advocates for freedom of religion for Vietnam's hill tribes and ethnic minority groups, which have been branded "terrorists" by the authorities.

From Barron's

Even Hezbollah, the Shia Muslim political party and militia considered a terrorist organisation by countries including the UK and US, conveyed its greetings.

From BBC

The June proclamation his agency highlighted to the BBC set out an aim to restrict foreign nationals from entering the US to protect from "foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats".

From BBC

Many Afghan troops fought alongside their American and allied counterparts during the two-decades-long war in Afghanistan, which followed al Qaeda’s Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• assassin
• bomber
• fanatic
• guerrilla
• gunman
• hijacker
• insurgent
• radical
• rebel
• revolutionary
• sniper
• zealot