terrorist
n. · adj.-
1 political violence (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatesomeone who uses violence, like bombs or attacks, to scare people and force a government to change.
a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.
ExampleThe government increased security at the airport to prevent a terrorist attack.
ExampleInternational intelligence agencies collaborated to dismantle the network before the terrorist cell could execute its planned assault on the capital.
UsageOften used as a modifier before other nouns like 'attack', 'group', or 'threat'.
- pacifist
- peacekeeper
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2 relating to terrorism (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediaterelating to or involving the use of violence for political reasons.
of or relating to the characteristics or actions of terrorism; typically used as an attributive adjective.
ExampleThe police are investigating several terrorist threats made online.
ExampleThe new legislation aims to curb terrorist financing by increasing the transparency of international wire transfers.
UsageThis adjective form is non-gradable; one cannot be 'more terrorist' than another.
- terroristic
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3 French Revolution (n.) C2 Proficiency Archaic Technicala person involved in the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution.
an agent or partisan of the revolutionary tribunal during the Reign of Terror in France (1793–1794).
ExampleIn history class, we learned how the original terrorists were part of the French Revolution.
ExampleThe term was originally applied to the Jacobins, specifically those terrorists who orchestrated the state-sanctioned executions during the revolutionary period.
Teacher's tipThis is the historical origin of the word; in modern contexts, it has lost this specific association with state-led French history.
From terror + -ist. In the historical sense, after French terroriste. First used in 1794 in the Courier and Evening Gazette.