Taliban

American  

[tal-uh-ban] / ˈtæl əˌbæn /

noun

1. a Muslim fundamentalist group in Afghanistan.

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Taliban British  

/ ˈtælɪbæn /

noun

1. (in Afghanistan) a fundamentalist Islamic army: in 1996 it defeated the ruling mujaheddin factions and seized control of the country; overthrown in 2001 by US-led forces, although reistance continues, esp in the south

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Etymology

Origin of Taliban

C20: from Arabic tāliban seekers

Example Sentences

When hired, Nayeb claimed to be a former member of the Taliban who had renounced the terrorist group.

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2026

The report said Fluor was negligent in hiring an Afghan who had been a Taliban operative, and it failed to closely supervise him.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

And the EU does not officially recognise the Taliban authorities, who returned to power in 2021, imposing their strict interpretation of Islamic law.

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

"If I was born in another household where my parents were poor, couldn't afford my education, I could have also become easily radicalised and indoctrinated by the Taliban," he says.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

It blamed the people of Swat for allowing the Taliban to take control of our homeland.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai