fratricide

noun

frat·​ri·​cide ˈfra-trə-ˌsīd 

1

: one that murders or kills his or her own brother or sister or an individual (such as a countryman) having a relationship like that of a brother or sister

2

: the act of a fratricide

fratricidal

ˌfra-trə-ˈsī-dᵊl 

adjective

Examples of fratricide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Here, Hamlet is a melancholy suburban prince named Juicy, in a Black family rocked by betrayal and fratricide and ghosts who pop out of backyard grills. —Chris Richards, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2023

The problem with the plan was fratricide, among other wanton cellular murders. —Jason Mast, STAT, 31 Aug. 2023

The Type-1a supernovae don’t come from solitary stars sitting around waiting to die, but from a case of pure stellar fratricide. —Popular Mechanics, 18 Apr. 2023

The story starts the same way, with a fratricide. —Matthew Gabriele, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2022

Rumors of Njinga committing fratricide or engaging in cannibalism are treated with similar caution. —Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2023

Each episode of Peacock’s mystery series depicts such horrors as fratricide and fraud in classic American locales: a Nevada casino, a Texas smokehouse, a Colorado ski lodge. —Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2023

Viewers already watched Taffy pull off the near-perfect fratricide and, as Poker Face‘s structure tends to do, the episode travels back in time to see how Charlie spots the lies and solves the crime. —Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Feb. 2023

The Square and indulges in casual fratricide and a spot of naked, fiery volcano-side wrestling in the recent Viking epic The Northman. —Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 1 Sep. 2022

Word History

Etymology

in sense 1, from Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin fratricida, from fratr-, frater brother + -cida -cide; in sense 2, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin fratricidium, from fratr-, frater + -cidium -cide

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

fratricide

noun

frat·​ri·​cide ˈfra-trə-ˌsīd 

1

: one that murders or kills his or her own brother or sister or an individual (as a countryman) having a relationship like that of a brother or sister

2

: the act of a fratricide

fratricidal

ˌfra-trə-ˈsīd-ᵊl 

adjective

Etymology

Middle French, from Latin fratricida, from fratr-, frater brother + -cida killing