decapitate
verb
de·cap·i·tate
di-ˈka-pə-ˌtāt 
dē-
decapitated; decapitating
: to cut off the head of : behead
Did you know?
Decapitation is a quick and fairly painless way to go, so it was once considered suitable only for nobles like Sir Walter Raleigh, Mary Queen of Scots, and two of Henry VIII's unfortunate wives. The invention of the guillotine in the 18th century was meant to make execution swifter and more painless than hanging or a badly aimed blow by the executioner's sword.
Examples of decapitate in a Sentence
a particularly gruesome series of murders in which the victims were decapitated
Recent Examples on the Web
Zolghadr is likely to rise toward the top of Israel's list of assassination targets, with the country seeking to decapitate Iran's leadership.
—
Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
Several portraits in medallions high on the walls of the cloisters show decapitated Dominican Friars who worked as inquisitors with just a stump for a neck and their heads held in their hands.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
The military campaign against Iran has managed to decapitate a repressive and brutal regime.
—Ghassan E. El-Eid, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
If Julie was being decapitated by hedge clippers, Shad was cueing her when to start screaming.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decapitate
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Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
Several portraits in medallions high on the walls of the cloisters show decapitated Dominican Friars who worked as inquisitors with just a stump for a neck and their heads held in their hands.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
The military campaign against Iran has managed to decapitate a repressive and brutal regime.
—Ghassan E. El-Eid, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
If Julie was being decapitated by hedge clippers, Shad was cueing her when to start screaming.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decapitate
Cite this Entry
“Decapitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decapitate. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decapitate
verb
de·cap·i·tate
di-ˈkap-ə-ˌtāt
decapitated; decapitating
: to cut off the head of : behead
Etymology
derived from Latin decapitare "to cut off the head of," from de- "from, away" and caput "head" — related to capital
Medical Definition
decapitate
1 of 2 transitive verb
de·cap·i·tate
di-ˈkap-ə-ˌtāt
decapitated; decapitating
: to cut off the head of
: relating to or being a decapitated experimental animal
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