Jihadism

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /d͡ʒɪˈhæd.ɪz.əm/

Definitions

1. An ideological framework that endorses armed conflict and political activism in order to achieve goals aligned with a radical interpretation of Islamic principles
2. A belief structure that supports violent measures to promote specific religious and political objectives rooted in a militant understanding of Islam
3. A radical philosophy advocating for the use of violence and political action to pursue certain religious and societal goals derived from a strict interpretation of Muslim teachings

Etymology: "Jihadism" is a compound built from "jihad" and the suffix "-ism," which turns a noun into a name for a doctrine, movement, or system of belief. The first half carries most of the history. In Arabic, "jihad" means striving or effort, and in classical Islamic usage it covered a wide range of meanings, from an individual's inner struggle against sin to armed fighting in defence of the faith. English speakers encountered the word mainly in its militant sense, which is why it became the root of a term for an ideology rather than simply a religious concept. The suffix did the rest. Attaching "-ism" to "jihad" produced a label for a particular political and religious outlook that emphasises violent action, and the word took shape in the late 1970s. Its meaning is therefore narrower than the Arabic original: a modern political category built on one strand of a much older and more varied vocabulary.