Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Taliban” come from?

Taliban derives from Pashto طالبان, the plural of Pashto طالب, from Arabic طَالِب meaning "seeker" or "student."

Taliban (English): A Taliban militia; A member of the Taliban...

Definitions

  1. A Taliban militia; A member of the Taliban...

Ancestry of “Taliban”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Pashtoطالبانstudents, seekers
2Arabicطالبseeker, pursuer; student, scholar; claimant
3Arabicطَلَبَto demand, ask, beg; to seek, to request, etc
4Arabicلto, for, belonging to; لَـ •; Used to express...
5Proto-Semitic*lV-—

Words derived from “Taliban”

  • Talibanization
  • Talibanesque
  • Talibanize
  • Talibanic
  • Talibanist
  • Talibanistan
  • 塔利班
Every word from Proto-Semitic *lV- →