jihadist

2 definitions • 4 examples

used to refer to a Muslim extremist (= one who has beliefs that most people, including most Muslims, think are unreasonable and unacceptable) who carries out or supports acts of terrorism (= violent action for political purposes) against people who they believe are a threat to their religion:

The city was targeted in the early 2000s by militant jihadists.

Few Muslims use the term "jihadist" because they see it as wrongly associating a noble religious concept with illegitimate violence.

relating to the beliefs held by some Muslim extremists (= those who have beliefs that most people, including most Muslims, think are unreasonable and unacceptable) who carry out or support acts of terrorism (= violent action for political purposes) against people who they believe are a threat to their religion:

Prosecutors said that the terrorists were inspired by jihadist videos.

The author’s jihadist reading of Islam is reductive and his simplistic views can be perceived as encouraging Islamophobia.