femicide

noun

fem·​i·​cide ˈfe-mə-ˌsīd 

plural femicides

: the gender-based murder of a woman or girl by a man

There have been calls for a "national shutdown" to protest femicide in South Africa.

—Africa Check

… speaks to a generation of young people fed up with femicides, sexual assault, and the ever more pervasive violence in Mexico.

—Cody Copeland

Examples of femicide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Naming the killings of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Lynn Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Valerie Mack, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla, and Karen Vergata as femicides exposes the misogyny behind the violence. — Judy Harris Kluger, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026

Ireland’s legislation comes at a time of heightened urgency around the issue of femicide. — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 17 July 2026

The film addresses the topic of femicide in the name of a misguided sense of family honor. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 June 2026

The series confronts, head-on and without easy answers, themes such as toxic relationships, femicide and patriarchy. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

femi- (in Latin fēmina "woman") + -cide (after homicide) — more at feminine entry 1

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for femicide

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