filicide

noun

fil·​i·​cide ˈfi-lə-ˌsīd 

: the murder or killing of one's own daughter or son

Examples of filicide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Clancy’s case could be classified as filicide — a parent killing their own children — or a triple homicide. — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026

Each year in the United States there are nearly 500 arrests for filicide – which is the legal term for when parents kill their children – according to an analysis of FBI data by Forensic Science International. — Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026

More rare are filicides of the sort Elkins allegedly committed. — Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2026

Several generate physical action that, besides wickedness, is driven by rage — fights, accidents, assaults, pederasty, filicide, matricide. — Stuart Dybek, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin filius son & filia daughter + English -cide

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for filicide

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