euthanasia

American  

[yoo-thuh-ney-zhuh, -zhee-uh, -zee-uh] / ˌyu θəˈneɪ ʒə, -ʒi ə, -zi ə /

noun

1. Also called mercy killing.  the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, a person or animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition.

2. painless death.

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euthanasia British  

/ ˌjuːθəˈneɪzɪə /

noun

1. Also called: mercy killing.  the act of killing someone painlessly, esp to relieve suffering from an incurable illness

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euthanasia Scientific  

/ yo̅o̅′thə-nā′zhə /

1. The act or practice of painlessly ending the life of an animal or a willing individual who has a terminal illness or incurable condition, as by giving a lethal drug.

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euthanasia Cultural  

1. Painlessly putting someone to death — usually someone with an incurable and painful disease; mercy killing.

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Discover More

Proposals to make euthanasia legal in the United States have inspired heated debate.

Other Word Forms

• euthanasiast noun
• euthanasic adjective
• proeuthanasia adjective

Etymology

Origin of euthanasia

1640–50; < New Latin < Greek euthanasía an easy death, equivalent to eu- eu- + thánat ( os ) death + -ia -y ³

Example Sentences

"Our only options at this point are to either relocate the whales or face the devastating decision of euthanasia," a statement said.

From Barron's

“I researched that euthanasia story with the urgency of someone who could have been a victim,” she writes.

From The Wall Street Journal

While the business stated that its votes would uphold church teaching on abortion, it made no reference to other issues involving human life, such as euthanasia, in vitro fertilization, embryonic stem-cell use, or human cloning.

From The Wall Street Journal

Those wanting to end their life must request euthanasia personally and in writing, provided they are a Uruguayan citizen or a foreign resident, the law states.

From BBC

To assure universal peace and brotherhood, he orders up a compassionate euthanasia of clingers who refuse to give up their old beliefs and threaten the new religion of man worshiping man.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• assisted dying