homicide

noun

ho·​mi·​cide ˈhä-mə-ˌsīd  ˈhō- 

1

: a person who kills another

2

: a killing of one human being by another

detectives investigating a homicide

Synonyms of homicide

• murder

Examples of homicide in a Sentence

The number of homicides increased last year.

He has been arrested for homicide.

Recent Examples on the Web

The man was a homicide victim from the 1970s or 80s, detectives quickly determined. — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Royce Moser, 18, was charged with homicide in the death of Karoline Heintz, a soccer player at PennWest California. — Michael Guise, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026

Cardenas played alongside Reales Dominguez for two years at Castlemont High School in East Oakland, one of the city’s poorest, predominately Black and Latino neighborhoods known for its high number of homicides. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Horrified by the gruesome scene, Police Chief Lucas Lind (Anders Mossling) places homicide detective Thomas Berg (Jakob Oftebro) in charge of the investigation. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

in sense 1, from Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin homicida, from homo human being + -cida -cide; in sense 2, from Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin homicidium, from homo + -cidium -cide

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for homicide

• actinide
• aldehyde
• alkoxide
• alongside
• amplified
• arsenide
• beautified
• biocide
• bisulphide
• butoxide
• calcified
• ceramide

Kids Definition

homicide

noun

ho·​mi·​cide ˈhäm-ə-ˌsīd  ˈhō-mə- 

: a killing of one human being by another

Etymology

Middle English homicide "the killing of a person," from early French homicide (same meaning), from Latin homicidium "the act of killing a man," from homo "man" and -cidium "the act of killing," from caedere "to kill, cut"

Medical Definition

homicide

noun

ho·​mi·​cide ˈhäm-ə-ˌsīd  ˈhō-mə- 

1

: a person who kills another

2

: a killing of one human being by another compare genocide

Legal Definition

homicide

noun

ho·​mi·​cide ˈhä-mə-ˌsīd, ˈhō- 

1

: a person who kills another

2

: the killing of one human being by another compare manslaughter, murder

— criminal homicide

: homicide committed by a person with a criminal state of mind (as intentionally, with premeditation, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence)

— deliberate homicide

: homicide caused purposely and knowingly —used in Montana

— excusable homicide

: homicide that is committed by accident or misfortune by a person doing a lawful act by lawful means with usual and ordinary caution and without any unlawful intent and that is excused under the law

also : justifiable homicide in this entry

— felonious homicide

: homicide committed without justification

— homicide by misadventure

: homicide that occurs as the result of an accident caused by a person doing a lawful act with no unlawful intent

— justifiable homicide

: homicide that is committed in self-defense, in defense of another and especially a member of one's family or sometimes in defense of a residence, in preventing a felony especially involving great bodily harm, or in performing a legal duty and that is justified under the law

also : excusable homicide in this entry

— negligent homicide

: homicide caused by a person's criminally negligent act

— reckless homicide

: homicide caused by a person's reckless acts

Note: In Illinois, involuntary manslaughter committed by use of a motor vehicle is called reckless homicide.

— vehicular homicide \ vē-​ˈhi-​kyə-​lər-​ \

: homicide committed by the use of a vehicle (as an automobile or boat)

Etymology

Latin homicidium, from homo human being + caedere to cut, kill