What is the origin of the word terrorist?

Factual Questions
1

[
I was wondering if anyone knows the origin of the word terrorist. I believe it was first used by Maggie Thatcher to describe IRA members in England. When I mentioned this, my drinking mates all shouted me down, saying the term had been used earlier to describe Algerians fighting the French. I still believe that I am right, but cannot find proof to rub under my adversaries cumulative nostrils.
PLEASE HELP!!![

2

Try France, during the Terror after the Revolution (1793-4?)

3

This term has been used often in history, but to call an individual a terrorist or an organization a terrorist organization is what i am looking for. Who first used the term Terrorism???

4

I do believe Edmund Burke first used the term in English to describe the antics of Robespierre and company. This would have been around 1795.

5

I will definitely have to do some reading on that subject. Thanks for showing me a direction to head in.

6

http://www.wordorigins.org/wordort.htm#Terrorism

Dave Wilton publishes an excellent word site.

Indeed, the French Revolution.

7

Webster’s 1913 contains this entry for Terrorist: