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Glite Dictionary
Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden

172 6.8
A person who started and led al-Qaeda and planned large terrorist attacks, including September 11, 2001
  • proper noun
  • /oʊˈsɑːmə bɪn ˈlɑːdən/
  • NSFW
: Osama bin Laden
  • A newspaper report that Osama bin Laden is dead may be speculation.
  • Osama bin Laden
  • killed Osama bin Laden
  • Osama bin Laden is dead

The long term hunt for Osama bin Laden was one of the most significant things I've ever been involved in.

Examples

  • The long term hunt for Osama bin Laden was one of the most significant things I've ever been involved in.

    WIRED

  • The Afghan government at the time was sheltering Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, which planned those attacks on US soil.

  • The first major gathering of world leaders since Osama bin Laden was killed earlier this month.

  • When the Taliban swept into Kabul in 1996, they gave sanctuary to Osama bin Laden.

Synonyms

bin Laden
vsOsama bin Laden
357 7.5

A leader of al-Qaeda who planned the September 11 attacks

is the full name form rather than the surname alone
Usama bin Laden
vsOsama bin Laden
  • NSFW
6.7

An Arab terrorist who founded al-Qaeda and planned the September 11, 2001 attacks

is the more common English spelling form

Surface Forms

Osama bin Laden main

Morphology

Osama + bin + Laden

This is a proper name referring to a specific person; the referent 'an al‑Qaeda leader responsible for terrorist attacks' cannot be inferred from the literal meanings of its parts. Knowing words like 'bin' (an Arabic patronymic) or English senses of 'bin'/'laden' does not yield the biographical or ideological information required, so the expression is unpredictable to a B1 learner from its constituents alone.

Etymology

Osama bin Laden is an Arabic-style name: Osama is a personal name meaning 'lion', bin means 'son of', and Laden is his father's name. Because he founded and led al-Qaeda and was behind the large attacks on September 11, 2001, the name Osama bin Laden now strongly refers to that terrorist leader in news and history.