al-Qaeda

al-Qae·da or al-Qai·da  (l-kd, -kd, -kä-d)

n.

An international organization of loosely affiliated cells that carry out attacks and bombings in the attempt to disrupt the economies and influence of Western nations and advance Islamic fundamentalism.

---

[Arabic al-q'ida, the base : al-, the + q'ida, foundation, base, feminine participle of qa'ada, to sit.]

---

al-Qaeda, al-Qaida [ælˈkaɪdə ælkɑːˈiːdə]

n

(Government, Politics & Diplomacy) 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

[from Arabic al-qa`ida the base]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

al-Qaeda - a terrorist network intensely opposed to the United States that dispenses money and logistical support and training to a wide variety of radical Islamic terrorist groups; has cells in more than 50 countries al-Qa'ida, al-Qaida, Qaeda, Base act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act - the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear Afghanistan, Islamic State of Afghanistan - a mountainous landlocked country in central Asia; bordered by Iran to the west and Russia to the north and Pakistan to the east and south; "Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan in 1979" Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Pakistan, West Pakistan - a Muslim republic that occupies the heartland of ancient south Asian civilization in the Indus River valley; formerly part of India; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1947

Translations

al-Qaeda, al-Qaida

n → al-Qaida no art, → El Kaida no art