decapitate

[dih-kap-i-teyt]

verb (used with object)

decapitated, decapitating 

1. to cut off the head of; behead.

   Many people were decapitated during the French Revolution.

decapitate

/ dɪˈkæpɪˌteɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to behead

Other Word Forms

• decapitation noun
• decapitator noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of decapitate¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of decapitate¹

C17: from Late Latin dēcapitāre, from Latin _de- + caput head

Example Sentences

A Lancaster couple who stabbed and decapitated their son and daughter before showing the remains to their two surviving children were convicted of murder Wednesday in the Antelope Valley Courthouse.

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He added that Japan "strongly urged China to take appropriate action" after a Chinese diplomat in Japan threatened to decapitate Takaichi.

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"Sometimes you'll see ant heads on the bee legs because they were feeding and in response to an attack, the bee bit the ant and decapitated it."

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An AFP journalist on the scene saw a decapitated body.

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One of the bodies had been decapitated - others were "totally disfigured", he said.

Read more on BBC