Terrorist in Different Languages
Discover 'Terrorist' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'terrorist' is a powerful and emotionally-charged term that carries significant weight in today's global political landscape. Derived from the Latin word 'terrere' meaning 'to frighten', a terrorist is someone who uses violence and fear tactics to create chaos and disrupt society. The cultural importance of this word cannot be overstated, as it has been used to describe some of the most notorious individuals and groups in history.
Understanding the translation of 'terrorist' in different languages is crucial for anyone interested in language, culture, and international relations. For instance, in Arabic, the word for terrorist is 'irhabi', while in Spanish, it is 'terrorista'. In Russian, the term is 'terrorist', and in Chinese, it is 'kongbu fenzi'. These translations not only provide insight into how different cultures and languages conceptualize the idea of a terrorist, but they also highlight the global reach and impact of terrorism.
By exploring the many translations of 'terrorist', we can gain a deeper appreciation for the complexity and nuance of this word, and the ways in which it has shaped and been shaped by history, culture, and politics. Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of language and terrorism.
Terrorist
Terrorist in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | terroris | ||
| In Afrikaans, "terroris" can also refer to someone who creates great disorder or confusion. | |||
| Amharic | አሸባሪ | ||
| In Amharic, "አሸባሪ" can mean "a person who causes fear or terror", "a wicked or violent person", or "a bandit or highwayman". It is rooted in the verb "ሸበረ", meaning "to frighten or terrorize." | |||
| Hausa | 'yan ta'adda | ||
| The word 'yan ta'adda in Hausa can refer to either 'terrorists' or 'bandits' depending on context. | |||
| Igbo | eyi ọha egwu | ||
| The Igbo word "eyi ọha egwu" literally translates to "one who plays with the fear of the public." | |||
| Malagasy | mpampihorohoro | ||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wachigawenga | ||
| The word "wachigawenga" literally means "one who causes confusion and unrest". | |||
| Shona | gandanga | ||
| "Gandanga" also means goblin or evil spirit in Shona. | |||
| Somali | argagixiso | ||
| The word "argagixiso" is derived from the Arabic word "irhab" meaning "fear" or "terror". | |||
| Sesotho | sekhukhuni | ||
| The word "sekhukhuni" in Sesotho originally meant "a person who is always causing trouble". | |||
| Swahili | gaidi | ||
| The word "gaidi" in Swahili is derived from the Arabic word "qāʾid", meaning "leader" or "commander". | |||
| Xhosa | umgrogrisi | ||
| The word "umgrogrisi" in Xhosa literally means "one who causes a state of horror or panic." | |||
| Yoruba | apanilaya | ||
| The word "apanilaya" can also mean "a thief" | |||
| Zulu | ubushokobezi | ||
| The word "ubushokobezi" in Zulu literally means "one who cuts off the head". | |||
| Bambara | terrorisme (jatigɛwalekɛla). | ||
| Ewe | ŋɔdzinuwɔla | ||
| Kinyarwanda | iterabwoba | ||
| Lingala | moteroriste | ||
| Luganda | omutujju | ||
| Sepedi | setšhošetši | ||
| Twi (Akan) | amumɔyɛfo | ||
Terrorist in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | إرهابي | ||
| The word | |||
| Hebrew | מְחַבֵּל | ||
| The word "מְחַבֵּל" can also refer to someone who is corrupt or destructive. | |||
| Pashto | ترهګر | ||
| The Pashto word "ترهګر" also means "frightening" or "violent." | |||
| Arabic | إرهابي | ||
| The word | |||
Terrorist in Western European Languages
| Albanian | terroriste | ||
| In Albanian, the word "terroriste" can also refer to a person who causes great fear or alarm. | |||
| Basque | terrorista | ||
| The Basque word "terrorista" has alternate meanings that include "rebel" and "fighter". | |||
| Catalan | terrorista | ||
| Catalan "terrorista" comes from the word "terror", from Latin "terror" (fear, terror), from the Greek "τρόμος" (trembling, fear). | |||
| Croatian | terorista | ||
| In Croatian, "terorista" can also mean "someone who causes panic or confusion". | |||
| Danish | terrorist | ||
| In Danish "terrorist" is also synonymous for a person performing acts of terror, i.e. a terrorist. | |||
| Dutch | terrorist | ||
| The Dutch word for "terrorist" is "terrorist", derived from the French word "terroriste", itself derived from the Latin word "terror", meaning "great fear". | |||
| English | terrorist | ||
| The word 'terrorist' is derived from the Latin word 'terrōr,' which means 'great fear' or 'dread'. | |||
| French | terroriste | ||
| In French, the word "terroriste" originally referred to adherents of the "Reign of Terror" during the French Revolution. | |||
| Frisian | terrorist | ||
| It is derived from a word meaning 'fear' or 'horror'. | |||
| Galician | terrorista | ||
| The Galician word "terrorista" can also mean "arsonist" or "raider". | |||
| German | terrorist | ||
| Icelandic | hryðjuverkamaður | ||
| The word hryðjuverkamaður is derived from the Old Norse words hryðja, meaning 'trembling' or 'terror,' and verk, meaning 'work' or 'deed'. | |||
| Irish | sceimhlitheoireachta | ||
| The word "sceimhlitheoireachta" has been used to refer to both revolutionaries and counter-revolutionaries. | |||
| Italian | terrorista | ||
| "Terrorista" comes from the Latin word "terror", meaning "extreme fear" or "dread". | |||
| Luxembourgish | terrorist | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Terrorist" can also refer to a person who causes alarm or fear. | |||
| Maltese | terroristiku | ||
| The word "terroristiku" can also mean "horrifying" or "frightening" in Maltese. | |||
| Norwegian | terrorist | ||
| Terrorist is derived from the Latin word "terror", meaning "great fear" or "dread". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | terrorista | ||
| "Terrorista" can also refer to the first stage of the metamorphosis of an insect from pupa to adult. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ceannairceach | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "ceannairceach" has historical links to "ceannaire," a Scottish Gaelic word for "leader," and may have implied a political or religious rebel. | |||
| Spanish | terrorista | ||
| In Spanish, the word "terrorista" can also refer to a person who engages in illegal activities for political or ideological reasons. | |||
| Swedish | terrorist | ||
| In Swedish language terrorist is called "terrorist" and the same word has the same meaning. | |||
| Welsh | terfysgol | ||
| The Welsh word "terfysgol" also means "university" and is derived from the Latin word "universitas". | |||
Terrorist in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | тэрарыстычная | ||
| The word "тэрарыстычная" also means "terrorist" in Belarusian, but it is cognate with the word "terrible" in English. | |||
| Bosnian | teroristička | ||
| Bosnian word "teroristička" can also mean "terrorist attack" or "act of terrorism" in addition to its primary meaning of "female terrorist". | |||
| Bulgarian | терористична | ||
| It comes from the French word "terreur" meaning "terror" | |||
| Czech | terorista | ||
| Terorista means 'terrorist' in Czech, but its root is 'teror' which also means 'terror' or 'scare'. | |||
| Estonian | terrorist | ||
| The Estonian word "terrorist" comes from the French word "terroriste", which in turn comes from the Latin word "terror", meaning "great fear or dread" | |||
| Finnish | terroristi | ||
| In Finnish the word "terroristi" can also mean a "fearsome" or "horrifying" person. | |||
| Hungarian | terrorista | ||
| The word "terrorista" was adopted from Italian into Hungarian in the 19th century. | |||
| Latvian | terorists | ||
| The word "terorists" in Latvian is derived from the French word "terreur", meaning "terror". | |||
| Lithuanian | teroristas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "teroristas" comes from the Latin word "terror", which means "great fear". | |||
| Macedonian | терористички | ||
| The Macedonian word "терористички" can also mean "saboteur" or "destroyer". | |||
| Polish | terrorysta | ||
| The word "terrorysta" in Polish can also mean "alarmist" or "scaremonger". | |||
| Romanian | terorist | ||
| The Romanian word "terorist" means "terrorist" but can also be used to describe a "troublemaker" or "aggressor." | |||
| Russian | террорист | ||
| The word "террорист" (terrorist) has no other meanings or etymological peculiarities. | |||
| Serbian | терористички | ||
| Slovak | teroristický | ||
| "Teroristický" is also used in Slovak to describe someone acting in an irrational, aggressive, or brutal way, not necessarily in a political context. | |||
| Slovenian | teroristična | ||
| Beseda teroristična izhaja iz latinske besede "terror", ki pomeni strah, groza. | |||
| Ukrainian | терористична | ||
| The word "терористична" in Ukrainian is derived from the Greek word "terrorismos", meaning "causing terror" or "causing panic". | |||
Terrorist in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সন্ত্রাসী | ||
| সন্ত্রাসী (śantrāsī) can also mean "one who creates terror," or "a terrifying person." | |||
| Gujarati | આતંકવાદી | ||
| In Gujarati, the word "આતંકવાદી" is also used to refer to someone who creates panic or chaos. | |||
| Hindi | आतंकवादी | ||
| The Hindi word 'आतंकवादी' can also mean 'a violent or destructive person' or 'a member of a terrorist organization'. | |||
| Kannada | ಭಯೋತ್ಪಾದಕ | ||
| The word 'ಭಯೋತ್ಪಾದಕ' can also mean 'scary,' 'frightening,' or 'horrifying' in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | തീവ്രവാദി | ||
| The word "terrorist" is a loanword from the English language into Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | दहशतवादी | ||
| The Marathi word 'दहशतवादी' (dahatwadi) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'दहशत' (dahat), meaning 'terror' or 'fear'. | |||
| Nepali | आतंकवादी | ||
| The term | |||
| Punjabi | ਅੱਤਵਾਦੀ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ත්රස්තවාදී | ||
| In a more specific and technical context it can also refer to 'a person convicted under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act'. | |||
| Tamil | பயங்கரவாதி | ||
| Telugu | ఉగ్రవాది | ||
| Urdu | دہشت گرد | ||
| The word "دہشت گرد" (terrorist) is derived from the Persian word "دہشت" (terror), which ultimately comes from the Arabic word "دَهاء" (cunning, guile). | |||
Terrorist in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 恐怖分子 | ||
| “恐怖分子”一词在中文中的其他含义包括恐吓和恐怖行为的实施者。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 恐怖分子 | ||
| 恐怖分子是恐怖活动和暴力的代名词，常用于贬义。 | |||
| Japanese | テロリスト | ||
| テロリスト (terorisuto) derives from the late Latin word 'terrorista', which means 'one who causes terror'. | |||
| Korean | 테러리스트 | ||
| Mongolian | террорист | ||
| The word "террорист" ("terrorist") in Mongolian can also refer to a person who sows fear or terror. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အကြမ်းဖက်သမား | ||
Terrorist in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | teroris | ||
| The Indonesian word 'teroris' derives from the Dutch 'terrorist' and is also used to describe 'anarchists'. | |||
| Javanese | teroris | ||
| In Javanese, "teroris" can also refer to someone who acts in an intimidating manner or uses violence, not necessarily in a political context. | |||
| Khmer | ភេរវករ | ||
| The word "ភេរវករ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "भैरव" meaning "destroyer" or "terrible". It can also refer to a fierce deity associated with destruction and chaos. | |||
| Lao | ຜູ້ກໍ່ການຮ້າຍ | ||
| Malay | pengganas | ||
| The word "pengganas" (meaning "terrorist" in Malay) is derived from the word "ganas" meaning "ferocious or cruel". | |||
| Thai | ผู้ก่อการร้าย | ||
| In Thai, "ผู้ก่อการร้าย" can also mean "insurgent" or "rebel." | |||
| Vietnamese | khủng bố | ||
| The word khủng bố is derived from the French word | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | terorista | ||
Terrorist in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | terrorçu | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "terrorçu" (terrorist) also means "a person who spreads panic and fear" | |||
| Kazakh | террорист | ||
| Террорист - также может означать «одинокий» | |||
| Kyrgyz | террорист | ||
| The word «террорист» comes from the French word «terroriste». | |||
| Tajik | террорист | ||
| The word "террорист" in Tajik comes from the French word "terroriste", which in turn comes from the Latin word "terror", meaning "fear" or "dread". | |||
| Turkmen | terrorist | ||
| Uzbek | terrorchi | ||
| In Uzbek, "terrorchi" is a loanword from Russian borrowed during the Soviet Union. | |||
| Uyghur | تېرورچى | ||
Terrorist in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mea hoʻoweliweli | ||
| The word "mea hoʻoweliweli" is also used in Hawaiian to describe a person who is very frightening or dangerous. | |||
| Maori | kaiwhakatuma | ||
| The word kaiwhakatuma can also refer to a warrior or a troublemaker. | |||
| Samoan | tagata faatupu faalavelave | ||
| In Samoan, 'tagata faatupu faalavelave' literally translates to 'people who cause trouble' or 'troublemakers'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | terorista | ||
| The Tagalog word "terorista" is derived from the Spanish word "terrorista", which in turn comes from the Latin word "terror", meaning "great fear". | |||
Terrorist in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | terrorista ukham uñt’atawa | ||
| Guarani | terrorista rehegua | ||
Terrorist in International Languages
| Esperanto | teroristo | ||
| The word "teroristo" in Esperanto is derived from the Latin and French words "terror" and "iste". | |||
| Latin | terroristis | ||
| The word "terroristis" in Latin does not mean "terrorist"; it means "causing fear or dread." | |||
Terrorist in Others Languages
| Greek | τρομοκράτης | ||
| The word 'τρομοκράτης' ('terrorist') originally meant 'someone who trembles' in ancient Greek. | |||
| Hmong | neeg ua phem | ||
| The literal meaning of "neeg ua phem" is "person who makes the heart fear". | |||
| Kurdish | terorîst | ||
| In Kurdish, "terorîst" can also mean "freedom fighter" or "rebel". | |||
| Turkish | terörist | ||
| "Terörist" kelimesi Türkçe'de aynı zamanda "korkak" anlamına da geliyor. | |||
| Xhosa | umgrogrisi | ||
| The word "umgrogrisi" in Xhosa literally means "one who causes a state of horror or panic." | |||
| Yiddish | טעראָריסט | ||
| In Yiddish, "טעראָריסט" "terrorist" also has the connotation of "one who creates a disturbance". | |||
| Zulu | ubushokobezi | ||
| The word "ubushokobezi" in Zulu literally means "one who cuts off the head". | |||
| Assamese | সন্ত্ৰাসবাদী | ||
| Aymara | terrorista ukham uñt’atawa | ||
| Bhojpuri | आतंकी के नाम से जानल जाला | ||
| Dhivehi | ޓެރަރިސްޓެވެ | ||
| Dogri | आतंकवादी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | terorista | ||
| Guarani | terrorista rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | terorista | ||
| Krio | terorist | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | تیرۆریست | ||
| Maithili | आतंकी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯇꯦꯔꯣꯔꯤꯁ꯭ꯠ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | firfiak a ni | ||
| Oromo | shororkeessaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଆତଙ୍କବାଦୀ | ||
| Quechua | terrorista nisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | आतङ्कवादी | ||
| Tatar | террорист | ||
| Tigrinya | ግብረሽበራዊ ምዃኑ’ዩ። | ||
| Tsonga | mutherorisi | ||