Usama bin Laden
- proper noun
- /uːˈsɑːmə bɪn ˈlɑːdən/
- NSFW
- Usama bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in 2011.
Examples
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Usama bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan in 2011.
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Many governments considered Usama bin Laden the most wanted terrorist in the world.
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The attacks were masterminded by Usama bin Laden, leader of al-Qaeda.
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The infamous Usama bin Laden was the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks.
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Usama bin Laden was the founder of al-Qaeda and was responsible for the September 11 attacks.
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Many people remember Usama bin Laden as a key figure in terrorist activities around the world.
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Usama bin Laden's actions led to significant global security changes in the early 21st century.
Synonyms
A leader of al-Qaeda who planned the September 11 attacks
A person who started and led al-Qaeda and planned large terrorist attacks, including September 11, 2001
Surface Forms
Morphology
Usama + bin + Laden
This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the constituent elements (a given name and the patronymic marker 'bin') does not let a learner infer biographical or ideological information such as 'founder of al‑Qaeda' or 'terrorist'. While 'bin' may be recognized cross‑linguistically as a patronymic meaning 'son of', that only signals name structure, not the referent's actions or status, so the meaning is not derivable from the parts.
Etymology
Usama bin Laden gets its meaning from Arabic: Usama means 'young lion', bin means 'son of', and Laden is his family name, so the name reads 'Usama, son of Laden'. Today the name is known around the world as the leader of al‑Qaeda who planned the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.