al-Qaeda

Meaning

1. 1proper nounproper

   An international militant Islamist network founded in the late 1980s, responsible for the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, and other violent acts.

   Grammar: Used without an article; it can take a singular or plural verb: al-Qaeda claims or al-Qaeda claim.

   Patterns

   • a member of al-Qaeda
   • al-Qaeda affiliates

   The documentary explains how al-Qaeda grew from a small group into a global network.

   Governments around the world froze the bank accounts linked to al-Qaeda.

   A former intelligence officer spoke about the hunt for al-Qaeda leaders.

Common combinations

al-Qaeda leader

The al-Qaeda leader was killed in a raid.

al-Qaeda cell

Police arrested members of a suspected al-Qaeda cell.

al-Qaeda affiliate

The region's main al-Qaeda affiliate controlled several towns.

linked to al-Qaeda

Several men linked to al-Qaeda were put on trial.

al-Qaeda attack

The al-Qaeda attack changed security policy worldwide.

Synonyms and how they differ

al-Qaida

This is simply an alternative transliteration used by some news organizations, with the same meaning.

terrorist network

This is a generic description, while al-Qaeda names one specific organization.

militant group

This is a broader label that fits many organizations, not just this one.

Word family

Qaeda proper noun

the Arabic word meaning base, from which the group's name comes

jihadist noun

a militant who claims to fight for Islam

Taliban proper noun

a separate Afghan militant movement often mentioned alongside al-Qaeda

Commonly confused: al-Qaeda or Taliban?

Practice

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