hara-kiri
/ˌhæɹəˈkɪɹi/ noun
Forms harakiri hari-kari harikari harikiri
- noun Ceremonial suicide by disembowelment, as by slicing open the abdomen with a dagger or knife: formerly practised in Japan by the samurai when disgraced or sentenced to death.
- noun Suicide or any suicidal action.
- noun (by extension, figuratively) An act against one's own interests.
Synonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 腹切り (harakiri), ultimately from 腹 (hara, “belly”) + 切る (kiru, “to cut”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun Suicide, by slashing the abdomen, formerly practiced in Japan, and commanded by the government in the cases of disgraced officials; disembowelment; --also written, but incorrectly, hari-kari. W. E. Griffis.
Etymology [Jap., stomach cutting.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “hara-kiri”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details