defenestration

[dee-fen-uh-strey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of throwing a person or thing out of a window.

   The defenestration of the Catholic commissioners in Prague precipitated the Thirty Years’ War.

2. the act of suddenly removing someone from an important position or office.

   When the new corporate board was voted in, there was a massive defenestration of high-level executives.

defenestration

/ diːˌfɛnɪˈstreɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of throwing someone out of a window

Word History and Origins

Origin of defenestration¹

First recorded in 1610–20; de- + Latin fenestr(a) “window” + -ation

Word History and Origins

Origin of defenestration¹

C17: from New Latin dēfenestrātiō, from Latin _de- + fenestra window

Example Sentences

Johnson was little known to the public when he won the speakership after California Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s dramatic defenestration.

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O’Brien’s defenestration happened in the midst of one of the worst recessions in modern history, one that hit Generation X workers the hardest.

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The debacle was humiliating, especially after multiple candidates for the role flamed out after McCarthy's pointless defenestration.

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Before Trump’s two defenestrations, the only dumping of an FBI chief was Clinton’s firing of William Sessions after taking office in 1993.

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Nancy Pelosi, whose fingerprints are all over the defenestration of President Biden, has expressed deep sadness at the rupture in their relationship.

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