guillotine

noun

guil·​lo·​tine ˈgi-lə-ˌtēn  ˌgē-(y)ə-ˈtēn  ˈgē-(y)ə-ˌtēn 

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

guillotine transitive verb

Examples of guillotine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This was most starkly illustrated when a bunch of activists set up a guillotine outside Bezos’s mansion, in protest of the terrible pay and conditions that Amazon offers its workers. —Paul Kingsnorth, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025

Last month, anti-ICE protesters were captured on video rolling out a guillotine and clashing with police before law enforcement fired munitions to disperse the crowd. —Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2025

But there's a difference between natural attrition and the guillotine. —Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025

After seeing the film version of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, set during the French Revolution, Yusuf recalls building miniature balsa-wood guillotines as a hobby. —David Browne, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from Joseph Guillotin †1814 French physician

First Known Use

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for guillotine

• acrolein
• adenine
• alkylene
• aniline
• anthracene
• aquiline
• asphaltene
• atlantean
• atrazine
• butadiene
• butylene
• caesarean

Kids Definition

guillotine

noun

guil·​lo·​tine ˈgil-ə-ˌtēn  ˌgē-(y)ə-ˈtēn 

ˈgē-(y)əˌ-tēn

: a machine for cutting off a person's head by means of a heavy blade sliding in two upright grooved posts

guillotine verb

Etymology

named for Joseph Guillotin 1738–1814 French doctor and public official

Medical Definition

guillotine

noun

guil·​lo·​tine ˈgil-ə-ˌtēn  ˈgē-ə-ˌtēn 

: 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