Tahdid

Tahdid is an Arabic term that can refer to two different concepts, depending on its spelling and context. In its common sense, written as تهديد, tahdīd denotes a threat or intimidation—an act, statement, or condition meant to coerce, deter, or cause fear. It is widely used in security, diplomacy, law, and media to describe threats against individuals, groups, or states. The word is derived from a root associated with threatening or menacing.

A separate, distinct word that is transliterated similarly is taḥdīd, written تحديد. This form means “definition, delimitation, or setting limits” and comes from a different root (ح-د-د) meaning to define or bound. In legal, administrative, or mathematical contexts, taḥdīd appears in phrases about defining boundaries, terms, or specifications, such as delimiting borders or fixing requirements.

The two terms are distinguished in Arabic by their diacritics and roots, though transliteration into English can be ambiguous. Context usually clarifies which meaning is intended. In English-language reporting or scholarship, tahdīd is typically translated as “threat,” while taḥdīd is rendered as “definition,” “delimitation,” or “setting limits,” depending on the usage.

See also: threat, delimitation, definition.