fratricide Hear it!

fratricide definition

frat·ri·cide (fra′trə sīd′)

noun

    1. the act of killing one's own brother or sister
    2. the act of killing relatives or fellow-countrymen, as in a civil war

  2. Etymology: ME < OFr < L fratricida

    a person who kills his or her own brother or sister

Etymology: Fr < LL(Ec) fratricidium < L fratricida, one who kills a brother < frater, brother + caedere, to kill (see -cide)

Related Forms:

  • fratricidal frat′·ri·ci′·dal (-sīd′'l) adjective

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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