manslaughter

noun

man·slaugh·ter | \ ˈman-ˌslȯ-tər

Definition of manslaughter

: the unlawful killing of a human being without express or implied malice

Examples of manslaughter in a Sentence

She was convicted of manslaughter for driving while drunk and killing three people.

Recent Examples on the Web

The trial court denied his motion, admitted the evidence and convicted Lozano on two counts of manslaughter. — Andrew Boryga, sun-sentinel.com, "Former school cop Scot Peterson: He’s been called a coward, but is that a crime?," 7 June 2019 Harris was sentenced to 20 years for manslaughter in the death of David Harris, 44, an orthodontist. — Crimesider Staff, CBS News, "Dentist who fatally ran over cheating husband released from prison," 11 May 2018 But the regulations make an exception for manslaughter in the case of an abusive male spouse or partner, as long as the woman has no other prior offenses. — John Caniglia, cleveland.com, "Growing up behind bars: How 11 states handle prison nurseries," 4 Mar. 2018 The murder charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, while the initial manslaughter charge carried a maximum sentence of 20 years. — P.r. Lockhart, Vox, "Amber Guyger has been indicted for murder after the Botham Jean shooting," 30 Nov. 2018 Three other colleagues of Mr. Slatten’s were also convicted of manslaughter charges in 2014 in connection with the shooting. — Aruna Viswanatha, WSJ, "Judge Declares Mistrial in Case of Former Blackwater Security Guard," 5 Sep. 2018 Guyger turned herself in to police on September 9 and was charged with manslaughter before being released on a $300,000 bond that same day. — P.r. Lockhart, Vox, "Amber Guyger has been indicted for murder after the Botham Jean shooting," 30 Nov. 2018 After a trial of a month and a half, the jury took less than 11 hours to find Casey not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter and aggravated child abuse. — Fox News, "Casey Anthony's parents question what went wrong, who was to blame in new A&E special," 2 Oct. 2018 The Bergen County prosecutor's office said Wednesday 34-year-old William H. Jenkins, of Fair Lawn, was charged with aggravated manslaughter in the death of Roosevelt Rene, whose body was discovered Tuesday. — Houston Chronicle, "Brother of Giants' Janoris Jenkins charged in man's death," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'manslaughter.' 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

16 Jun 2019

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The first known use of manslaughter was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for manslaughter

manslaughter

noun

English Language Learners Definition of manslaughter

law : the crime of killing a person without intending to do so

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

manslaughter

noun

man·slaugh·ter | \ ˈman-ˌslȯ-tər

Kids Definition of manslaughter

: the unintentional but unlawful killing of a person

manslaughter

noun

man·slaugh·ter | \ ˈman-ˌslȯt-ər

Medical Definition of manslaughter

: the slaying of a human being specifically : the unlawful killing of a human being without express or implied malice

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manslaughter

noun

man·slaugh·ter | \ ˈman-ˌslȯ-tər

Legal Definition of manslaughter

: the unlawful killing of a human being without malice — compare homicide, murder

— involuntary manslaughter

: manslaughter resulting from the failure to perform a legal duty expressly required to safeguard human life, from the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to a felony, or from the commission of a lawful act involving a risk of injury or death that is done in an unlawful, reckless, or grossly negligent manner — see also reckless homicide at homicide

Note: The exact formulation of the elements of involuntary manslaughter vary from state to state especially with regard to the level of negligence required. In states that grade manslaughter by degrees, involuntary manslaughter is usually graded as a second- or third-degree offense.

— misdemeanor-manslaughter

: involuntary manslaughter occurring during the commission of a misdemeanor — compare felony murder at murder

— voluntary manslaughter

: manslaughter resulting from an intentional act done without malice or premeditation and while in the heat of passion or on sudden provocation

Note: In states that grade manslaughter by degrees, voluntary manslaughter is usually a first-degree offense.