decapitation
UK /dɪˌkæp.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/ · US /ˈdi.kæp.əˌteɪ.ʃən/ noun
Forms decapitations
- noun Beheading; the act of beheading or decapitating. “If the headsman's axe was sharp and his aim was true, decapitation was a quick and relatively painless form of death.”
- noun The ousting or destruction of the ruling body of a government or other organization. “A decapitation strike carried out by drone killed many of the country's senior generals.”
- noun (politics) The unseating of a senior politician. “The decapitation of the Foreign Secretary was a significant publicity coup for the opposition.”
Synonyms
Etymology
From French décapitation.
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [LL. decapitatio: cf. F. décapitation.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “decapitation”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details