terrorism English · revision 6249

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1795|origins=la terreo}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈtɛɹəɹɪzəm/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|terrorisme]], a coinage of the French Revolution,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|terror|t=great fear, dread]] (see [[terror]]) and [[-ism]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Government by intimidation, as practised by the party in power in France during the Reign of Terror (1793–94): 1795.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Robespierre told the National Convention in 1794 that the basis of popular government in time of revolution is virtue and terror.^(Etymonline) The general sense, the systematic use of terror as a policy, is in English by 1798, in reference to the Irish Rebellion of that year.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) In the early 20th century it was used in newspaper reports of trade-union actions.^(Etymonline) ''Dynamitism'' (1883) was a word for one kind of mass-destruction terrorism.^(Etymonline) The modern sense, violence and intimidation against civilians for political ends, especially by non-state groups, is now the usual one.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1795 – the French Reign of Terror.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1798 – a policy of terror generally.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1883 – dynamitism.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, to achieve political aims.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Government by intimidation.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[terrorist]]

+ * [[terroristic]]

+ * [[antiterrorism]]

+ * [[ecoterrorism]]

+ * [[narcoterrorism]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[terror]]

+ * [[terrorize]]

+ * [[counterterrorism]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}