decapitate

American  

[dih-kap-i-teyt] / dɪˈkæp ɪˌteɪt /

verb (used with object)

decapitated, decapitating

1. to cut off the head of; behead.

   Many people were decapitated during the French Revolution.

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decapitate British  

/ dɪˈkæpɪˌteɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to behead

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Other Word Forms

• decapitation noun
• decapitator noun

Etymology

Origin of decapitate

1605–15; < Late Latin dēcapitātus, past participle of dēcapitāre, equivalent to dē- de- + capit- (stem of caput ) head + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Williams said the body had not been decapitated or frozen, as some media outlets have reported.

From Los Angeles Times

Now, the despot regime has been decapitated, but ConocoPhillips isn’t jumping up and down.

From The Wall Street Journal

Mr. Rubio said Sunday it was unrealistic to take more risks in the raid to decapitate more of the regime, which is fair enough.

From The Wall Street Journal

And this week he said Zambia's generation capacity had been "decapitated" by a recent drought owing to its reliance on hydroelectricity.

From BBC

On Monday, Williams said the body had not been decapitated or frozen, as some media outlets have reported.

From Los Angeles Times