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hara-kiri

The definition of hara-kiri is a method of suicide by falling on a sword.

(noun)

An example of hara-kiri is a Japanese military man killing himself by falling stomach forward into his own sword to avoid execution.

See hara-kiri in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

ritual suicide by cutting the abdomen: it is called seppuku by the Japanese, and was practiced by high-ranking Japanese of the military class in lieu of execution or to avoid disgrace

Origin: Jpn < hara, belly + kiri, a cutting, cut

See hara-kiri in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. ha·ra-ki·ris also ha·ri-ka·ris

See seppuku.

Origin:

Origin: Japanese harakiri

Origin: : hara, abdomen, bowels

Origin: + kiri, to cut

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