What does terrorist mean?
Terrorist is a noun for a person who uses violence, threats, or intimidation to advance a political, ideological, or religious cause. In contemporary English, the word most commonly refers to someone who deliberately attacks civilians or other targets, or belongs to a group that does so. It can also be used attributively in phrases such as “terrorist attack,” while terrorism names the activity or broader phenomenon rather than the person. The term carries strong moral and political connotations and is generally used in news, political speech, law, and security discussion. Because it is an accusation with serious consequences, speakers should distinguish established descriptions from speculation and avoid applying it to ordinary protesters, dissenters, or rebels merely because they oppose a government. Terrorist ultimately comes through French from Latin terror, meaning “great fear or fright,” and its history reflects the development of political violence and debates about how to describe it. Careful context is essential to avoid conflating legitimate political disagreement with deliberate intimidation or violence.
nounA person who uses violence or intimidation, especially against civilians, to further a political, ideological, or religious cause.
- A person who deliberately uses violence, threats, or intimidation to advance a political, ideological, or religious cause.
"The terrorist attack targeted a crowded market, killing several people."
"Security officials identified the suspect as a terrorist and increased patrols around government buildings."
"The newspaper was criticised for describing the armed separatists as terrorists without sufficient evidence."
This is the standard regular plural form.
"Authorities arrested two alleged terrorists after a security operation."
Born amid the French Revolution, “terrorist” has long been a label applied by political opponents, making the argument over who deserves the word as old as the term itself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does terrorist come from?
Terrorist derives from French terroriste, formed from terreur, meaning “terror,” with the suffix -iste. English borrowed the word in the early nineteenth century in the context of revolutionary politics, and its modern association with people who use violence or intimidation for political goals developed over time. The wider family, including terror, terrify, terrible, and terrific, continues the Latin root terror and terrere, meaning “to frighten.”
Related word forms
How terrorist is actually used
The term is strongly political and emotionally charged. In current English, it usually refers to someone who uses or advocates violence or intimidation against civilians or other targets for an ideological or political purpose; it should not be applied merely to protesters, dissenters, or opponents of a government.
Easily confused with terrorist
A terrorist is a person or group that uses terror, whereas terrorism names the violent or coercive activity or wider phenomenon.