mujahideen
UK[ˌmʊdʒəhɪˈdiːn]US[mʊˌdʒɑːhəˈdiːn]
n
muslim guerrilla fighters engaged in a jihad or holy war.
Etymology
the term 'mujahideen' entered english in the late 20th century, primarily through media coverage of the soviet-afghan war. it originates from the arabic 'mujāhidīn' (مجاهدين), the plural of 'mujāhid', meaning 'one who struggles' or 'one who engages in jihad'. the root is j-h-d, conveying the core meaning of 'striving' or 'exerting effort'. in islamic context, this striving can be spiritual, moral, or physical, with the latter sense evolving specifically to denote those fighting in a holy war, which is the meaning solidified in modern english usage.
Analysis
the word is a direct loanword from arabic, adopted into english as a single lexical unit. it is the plural form of 'mujahid'.
Examples
the mujahideen fought against the soviet forces in afghanistan throughout the 1980s.
foreign governments provided weapons and funding to the mujahideen groups.
the term mujahideen is often used broadly to refer to various islamist insurgent forces.