decapitate

verb

de·​cap·​i·​tate di-ˈka-pə-ˌtāt 

dē-

decapitated; decapitating

transitive verb

: to cut off the head of : behead

decapitation

di-ˌka-pə-ˈtā-shən 

dē-

noun

decapitator

di-ˈka-pə-ˌtā-tər 

dē-

noun

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.

Synonyms of decapitate

• head
• behead

Examples of decapitate in a Sentence

a particularly gruesome series of murders in which the victims were decapitated

Recent Examples on the Web

Her body was found in a duffel bag, nearly decapitated, police said. —Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026

With much of Iran’s leadership decapitated, power will likely be exercised behind the scenes by the IRGC, which has increasingly propped up the regime over decades. —Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026

After June 2025, when Israel (for 12 days) and the United States (for one) launched strikes aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear program and decapitating the IRGC leadership, Khamenei curtailed public appearances. —Karl Vick, Time, 28 Feb. 2026

One day, Clark, who rides his recumbent bike into the city, is reporting on a cyclone when he nearly gets decapitated by a flying stop sign. —Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin decapitatus, past participle of decapitare, from Latin de- + capit-, caput head — more at head

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for decapitate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

decapitate

verb

de·​cap·​i·​tate di-ˈkap-ə-ˌtāt 

decapitated; decapitating

: to cut off the head of : behead

decapitation

-ˌkap-ə-ˈtā-shən 

noun

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

decapitation

-ˌkap-ə-ˈtā-shən 

noun

decapitate

2 of 2 adjective

de·​cap·​i·​tate -ə-ˌtāt  -ət-ət 

: relating to or being a decapitated experimental animal