decapitate

verb

de·​cap·​i·​tate di-ˈka-pə-ˌtāt How to pronounce decapitate (audio)
dē-
decapitated; decapitating

transitive verb

: to cut off the head of : behead
decapitation noun
decapitator noun

Did you know?

Decapitation is a quick and fairly painless way to go, so it was once considered suitable only for nobles like Sir Walter Raleigh, Mary Queen of Scots, and two of Henry VIII's unfortunate wives. The invention of the guillotine in the 18th century was meant to make execution swifter and more painless than hanging or a badly aimed blow by the executioner's sword.

Examples of decapitate in a Sentence

a particularly gruesome series of murders in which the victims were decapitated
Recent Examples on the Web Hamas has seen its top leadership almost entirely decapitated via IDF operations following the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks that killed approximately 1,200 people in 2023. Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 17 Oct. 2024 The story begins with Juliet performing a ritual on her boyfriend after he’s bitten by a zombie, which involves him being decapitated and then hung on her waist as a talking head, and things escalate from there. Diego Argüello, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2024 Israel is bent on decapitating Hamas even as negotiations continue. Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2024 Israel – thanks to its precise intelligence – has decapitated the leadership of key Iranian ally Hezbollah in recent weeks, killing at least seven top commanders, including its longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in a Friday airstrike. Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for decapitate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'decapitate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin decapitatus, past participle of decapitare, from Latin de- + capit-, caput head — more at head

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of decapitate was circa 1611

Dictionary Entries Near decapitate

Cite this Entry

“Decapitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decapitate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

decapitate

verb
de·​cap·​i·​tate di-ˈkap-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce decapitate (audio)
decapitated; decapitating
: to cut off the head of : behead
decapitation noun
Etymology

derived from Latin decapitare "to cut off the head of," from de- "from, away" and caput "head" — related to capital

Medical Definition

decapitate

1 of 2 transitive verb
de·​cap·​i·​tate di-ˈkap-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce decapitate (audio)
decapitated; decapitating
: to cut off the head of
decapitation noun

decapitate

2 of 2 adjective
de·​cap·​i·​tate -ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce decapitate (audio) -ət-ət How to pronounce decapitate (audio)
: relating to or being a decapitated experimental animal

More from Merriam-Webster on decapitate

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