killing

See also death.

acaricide

a substance or preparation for killing mites or ticks.

Aceldama

a place of bloodshed, so called after the field purchased by Judas with the bribe he received for betraying Christ.

amicicide

Rare. 1. the murder of one friend by another.

2. the killer of a friend.

androphonomania

a homicidal mania.

avicide

the killing of birds.

bactericide

a substance for killing bacteria.

decollation

the act of decapitation; beheading or being beheaded. — decoilator, n.

defenestration

the act of hurling from a window, especially people.

euthanasia

1. the act of putting to death without pain a person incurably ill or suffering great pain; mercy killing.

2. an easy, painless death. —euthanasic, adj.

felo-de-se

1. the act of suicide.

2. a person who commits suicide.

fratricide

1. the killing of one’s brother.

2. a person who has killed his brother. —fratricidal, adj.

fungicide

a substance that kills fungi or retards the growth of spores.

genocide

the killing of an entire people or of a very large number of a people. —genocidal, adj.

germicide

any substance for killing germs, especially bacteria. —germicidal, adj.

giganticide

1. the killing of a giant.

2. a person who kills giants.

hecatomb

1. a sacrifice of one hundred oxen at one time, as in ancient Greece.

2. any slaughter on a large scale; a massacre.

herbicide

a substance for killing unwanted plant growth.

holocaust

1. a burnt offering or sacrifice.

2. large-scale destruction by fire or other violent means.

homicide

1. a general term for murder; the killing of another human being.

2. the murderer of another. —homicidal, adj.

homicidomania

a mania for murder.

immolation

the process of sacrificing, espeeially by flre. —immolator, n.

infanticide

1. the murder of infants.

2. a person who kills infants. — infanticidal, adj.

insecticide

a substance used for killing insects. —insecticidal, adj.

jugulation

the act of cutting a person’s throat. See also remedies.

lapidation

the process or act of pelting with stones, sometimes as a form of execution.

macropicide

the killing of kangaroos.

mactation

the act of killing something for the purpose of sacrifice.

mariticide

1. the killing of one’s husband.

2. a person who has killed her husband. — mariticidal, adj.

matricide

1. the killing of one’s mother.

2. a person who has killed his mother. —matricidal, adj.

microbicide

a substance that kills microbes.

miticide

a substance for killing mites. —miticidal, adj.

occision

Obsolete, a killing or an act of killing.

parricidism

1. the murder of a parent or close relative.

2. one who has killed a parent or close relative. —parricidal, adj.

patricide

1. the killing of one’s father.

2. a person who has killed his father. —patricidal, adj.

pesticide

any chemical substance used for killing pests, as insects, weeds, etc.

regicidism

the murder of a king. —regicide, n. —regicidal, adj.

rodenticide

a substance that kills rodents.

scaphism

a punishment in old Persia, in which criminals were imprisoned in a log or hollow tree. The head, arms, and legs of a victim were left exposed and smeared with honey to attract insects.

sororicide

1. the killing of one’s sister.

2. a person who has killed his sister. —sororicidal, adj.

spermicide

a substance or preparation used for killing sperm, used in contraception. —spermicidal, adj.

suicide

1. the killing of oneself.

2. one who has killed himself. —suicidal, adj.

suttee

1. the suicide of a Hindu widow by immolation on the funeral pyre of her husband.

2. a Hindu widow who died by suttee.

taeniacide, teniacide

an agent or preparation for killing tapeworms. —taeniacidal, teniacidal, adj.

tyrannicide

1. the killing of a tyrant.

2. the killer of a tyrant. —tyrannicidal, adj.

uxoricide

1. the killing of one’s wife.

2. a person who has killed his wife. —uxoricidal, adj.

vaticide

the killing of a prophet. — vaticidal, adj.