homicide Hear it!

homicide Definition

homi·cide (hämə sīd′, hōmə-)

noun

  1. Etymology: ME < OFr < LL homicidium, manslaughter, murder < L homicida, murderer < homo, a man (see homo) + caedere, to cut, kill: see -cide

    any killing of one human being by another
  2. Etymology: ME < OFr < L homicida

    a person who kills another

homicide Synonyms

homicide

n.

homicide Law Definition

n

The killing of a human being, committed by another.
justifiable homicide
The killing of a human excused by the law as appropriate or necessary; for example, in self-defense.
negligent homicide
The killing of another by an act of irresponsibility or lack of attention to duty, rather than by intentional act.
vehicular homicide
The killing of another by operation of a motor vehicle; generally the driver’s acts must be more than just negligent; for example, in a motor vehicle accident arising from the intoxication of the driver, where another is killed. 
homicide Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • commit: How many bombers out there are not intending to commit homicide?
  • investigate: Any Bureau agent could have investigated this reservation homicide.
  • include: Louise Dixon is reviewing patterns of family violence, including spousal homicide.
  • have: Two Boroughs, Tower Hamlets and Sutton, did not have a homicide reported this financial year.

Adjective modifier

  • culpable: In 1840, a Glasgow chimney sweep named Francis Hughes was charged with the culpable homicide of his young assistant, John O'Neill.
  • justifiable: Why did the jury return a verdict of " justifiable homicide " at the inquest into the death of PC Robert Culley?
  • negligent: In late 2002, Sgt. Walker was brought before a court-martial on two counts of negligent homicide.
  • attempted: And, regardless of his motives, he was still guilty of attempted homicide.
  • corporate: A third seminar will focus on the subject of corporate homicide.
  • domestic: We need to learn the lessons from every domestic violence homicide.

Modifies a noun

  • detective: Lawyers are paid for legal opinion - not homicide detectives.
  • bomber: Any terrorist bomber who kills is a " homicide bomber.
  • investigator: Condoned killing has displaced the crime of passion; his services with the civil police as a homicide investigator have been less in demand.
  • investigation: The business case for an overall growth figure of 400 posts for homicide investigations has been accepted.
  • victim: About 90 % of homicide victims were killed with a weapon.
  • offense: Trident Major Investigation Teams detected 15 homicide offenses six of these were offenses reported in the previous financial year.

Preposition: by

  • people: The study reviewed 14 of the major inquiry reports into homicides by people with mental health problems.

Noun used with modifier

  • violence: We need to learn the lessons from every domestic violence homicide.
  • child: And sadly these rates of child homicide have remained at the same level for 25 years.
  • firearm: In 2000 UK Home Office statistics calculated the firearms homicide rate per 100,000 population at 0.12.

Browse dictionary entries near homicide

  1. homicidal
  2. homey
  3. homework
  4. homeward
  5. hometown
  6. homestretch
  7. homesteader
  8. homestead law
  9. homestead
  10. homestand
  1. homie
  2. homiletic
  3. homiletics
  4. homilist
  5. homily
  6. homing
  7. homing pigeon
  8. hominid
  9. hominize
  10. hominoid