suicide

noun

sui·​cide ˈsü-ə-ˌsīd 

plural suicides

1

a

: the act or an instance of ending one's own life voluntarily and intentionally

had thoughts of suicide

die by suicide = commit suicide

b

: an action that ruins or destroys one's own success, well-being, etc.

political suicide

c

: apoptosis

cell suicide

2

: someone who dies by or attempts suicide

Synonyms of suicide

• murder
• self-murder
• martyrdom
• self-destruction

Examples of suicide in a Sentence

She had thoughts of suicide.

Authorities have officially ruled the death a suicide.

There were two suicides last year at the university.

Word History

Etymology

Latin sui (genitive) of oneself + English -cide; akin to Old English & Old High German sīn his, Latin suus one's own, sed, se without, Sanskrit sva oneself, one's own

First Known Use

1643, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing suicide

• anti-suicide
• assisted suicide
• attempt suicide
• cell suicide
• cellular suicide
• physician-assisted suicide
• suicide bomb
• suicide bomber
• suicide note
• suicide pact
• suicide squeeze

Rhymes for suicide

• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• astride
• azide
• backside
• bankside
• bastide
• bayside
• bedside
• belied

Kids Definition

suicide

noun

sui·​cide

ˈsü-ə-ˌsīd

1

a

: the act of killing oneself purposely

b

: ruin of one's own interests

risking political suicide

2

: a person who commits or attempts suicide

suicidal

ˌsü-ə-ˈsīd-ᵊl

adjective

suicide adjective

Medical Definition

suicide

1 of 2 noun

sui·​cide ˈsü-ə-ˌsīd 

1

: the act or an instance of ending one's own life voluntarily and intentionally

2

: one that carries out or attempts to carry out the act of suicide

suicide

2 of 2 verb

suicided; suiciding; suicides

intransitive verb

: to die by suicide

transitive verb

: to put (oneself) to death