guillotine

noun

guil·lo·tine | \ ˈgi-lə-ˌtēn

; ˌgē-(y)ə-ˈtēn, ˈgē-(y)ə-ˌtēn

Definition of guillotine

1 : a machine for beheading by means of a heavy blade that slides down in vertical guides

2 : a shearing machine or instrument (such as a paper cutter) that in action resembles a guillotine The paper was trimmed on a guillotine.

3 chiefly British : closure by the imposition of a predetermined time limit on the consideration of specific sections of a bill or portions of other legislative business

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Examples of guillotine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On the first page we are introduced to the vivacious Olympe de Gouges, who was brought to the Paris guillotine in November 1793. — Washington Post, "Meet the forgotten rebels and quiet revolutionaries of women’s history," 5 Mar. 2021 Foucault tells us that instead of a punishment of the body, like a hanging or a guillotine in the town square, prison today is interested in punishing the soul. — Teddy Mcdarrah, Forbes, "Don’t Let Your Job Stop You From Having A Career: Lessons From Russell And Foucault," 24 Feb. 2021 In science, theories are routinely subjected to the guillotine of experiments. — Avi Loeb, Scientific American, "Experimental Tests of Theology," 26 Jan. 2021 Welcome to the era where the screen is king, and analog buttons are facing the guillotine. — Nathan Bomey, USA TODAY, "Screens in cars are getting even bigger? Is it safe?," 15 Jan. 2021 The doctors performed a guillotine amputation, just below the knee. — Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, "The Plague Year," 28 Dec. 2020 France last conducted an execution by guillotine in 1977, four years before banning capital punishment. — Todd J. Gillman, Dallas News, "Texas GOP official suggests guillotine for Mitt Romney but calls it bad metaphor, not a call for beheading," 3 Jan. 2021 The Moff holds his Darksaber above Grogu’s head like a guillotine. — Alex Kane, USA TODAY, "'The Mandalorian' recap: ‘The Rescue’," 19 Dec. 2020 Nearby protesters set up a small guillotine, with the District of Columbia flag as the blade. — oregonlive, "Rand Paul slams Portland after protesters surround, yell at him outside White House," 28 Aug. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'guillotine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

13 Mar 2021

Cite this Entry

“Guillotine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guillotine. Accessed 13 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for guillotine

guillotine

noun

English Language Learners Definition of guillotine

: a machine with a heavy blade that was used in the past to cut off the heads of people who had been sentenced to death

See the full definition for guillotine in the English Language Learners Dictionary

guillotine

noun

guil·lo·tine | \ ˈgi-lə-ˌtēn

Kids Definition of guillotine

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a machine for cutting off a person's head with a heavy blade that slides down two grooved posts

guillotine

verb

guillotined; guillotining

Kids Definition of guillotine (Entry 2 of 2)

: to cut off a person's head with a guillotine

guillotine

noun

guil·lo·tine | \ ˈgil-ə-ˌtēn

, ˈgē-ə-ˌtēn

Medical Definition of guillotine

: a surgical instrument that consists of a ring and handle with a knife blade which slides down the handle and across the ring and that is used for cutting out a protruding structure (as a tonsil) capable of being placed in the ring

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