defenestrate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to throw (a person or thing) out of a window.
A Portuguese bishop, accused of conspiring with the leaders of Castile, was defenestrated from the north tower of Lisbon's cathedral in 1383.
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to suddenly remove (a person) from an important position or office.
The chief executive was defenestrated after a corruption investigation.
Etymology
Origin of defenestrate
First recorded in 1900–05; back formation from defenestration ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This is where the news business has been heading, and where all those defenestrated newscasters I’ve mentioned already are.
From Salon
Neither Harry nor his uncle Prince Andrew, who has been all but defenestrated from the family because of his ties to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, was present on the balcony.
From New York Times
Even so, as another recently defenestrated talking head may soon discover, hitching his image to the show that bore his name narrowed his options.
From Salon
A housekeeper brings Kerry's household remains in a bag, which the defenestrated side piece accidentally dumps on the floor.
From Salon
I defenestrated the other half of the cake in the same manner, to similar sound effect.
From Seattle Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
