al-Qaeda

[al-key-duh, ‐kahy-duh] /ælˈkeɪ də, ‐ˈkaɪ də/
noun
1.
a radical Sunni Muslim organization dedicated to the elimination of a Western presence in Arab countries and militantly opposed to Western foreign policy: founded by Osama bin Laden in 1988.
Also, al-Qaida.
Origin
< Arabic al-qa'ida, literally, the base
British Dictionary definitions for al qaeda

al-Qaeda

/ælˈkaɪdə; ælkɑːˈiːdə/
noun
1.
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
Word Origin
C20: from Arabic al-qā`ida the base
Contemporary definitions for al qaeda
noun

an Islamic terrorist organization started in 1988 by Osama bin Laden to resist Soviet forces in Afghanistan and which seeks to purge Muslim countries of Western influence and establish fundamentalist Islamic rule; also written Al-Qaeda , Al-Qaida , al-Qaeda , al-Qa'ida , al-Quaida , al-Qa'idah

Word Origin

politics

Word Origin and History for al qaeda

al Qaeda

alternative Latin alphabet transliteration of Arabic al Qaida (q.v.).

al qaeda in Culture
Al Qaeda [(ahl-kay-da)]

An Islamic terrorist network headed by Osama bin Laden. It is generally believed to have been responsible for the September 11 attacks.