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• felo-de-se
  felo-de-se

  noun

  a person who intentionally takes their own life, or commits an unlawful malicious act resulting in their own death.
• felo de se
  felo de se

  noun

  law

felo-de-se

American  

[fel-oh-di-see, -sey] / ˈfɛl oʊ dɪˈsi, -ˈseɪ /

noun

• felones-de-se,
  plural
• felos-de-se
  plural

1. a person who intentionally takes their own life, or commits an unlawful malicious act resulting in their own death.

2. the act of suicide.

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felo de se British  

/ ˈfiːləʊ dɪ ˈsiː, ˈfɛləʊ /

noun

1. law

   1. suicide

   2. a person who commits suicide

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• felones-de-se
  plural
• felos-de-se
  plural

Etymology

Origin of felo-de-se

First recorded in 1650–60; from Anglo-Latin, equivalent to felō “a felon” + dē “in respect to, of” + sē “oneself”; see origin at felon ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

felo-de-se felo de se

After such a piece of spiritual felo-de-se, the man is nothing but one wheel in a machine, or even but one cog upon a wheel.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 02, No. 12, October, 1858 by Various

The coroner's verdict being felo-de-se, the body was not taken into the chapel, but a clergyman met it at the gate and led the way to the grave.

From The Christian A Story by Sir Hall Caine

A full account of Wakley’s parliamentary ratting, or political felo-de-se; beautifully authenticated by his late Finsbury electors—with sundry cuts by his former friends.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, November 13, 1841 by Various

One of the jurymen returning home, was asked what verdict they brought in, and whether they found it "felo-de-se"?

From Ever Heard This? Over Three Hundred Good Stories by F. W. Chambers

It would be reckoned a gross breach of good manners to scandalize the refined and liberal administration of the Kursaal by undisguised felo-de-se.

From The Gaming Table: Its Votaries and Victims Volume I (of II) by Andrew Steinmetz

"A fellow that's single, a fine fellow's he; But a fellow that's married's a felo de se."

From The History of "Punch" by M. H. (Marion Harry) Spielmann

With all respect for those by whom this opinion has been professed, I am constrained to regard it as utterly untenable, as palpably inconsistent, and as presenting in argument a complete felo de se.

From Report of the Decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, and the Opinions of the Judges Thereof, in the Case of Dred Scott versus John F.A. Sandford December Term, 1856. by Benjamin C. Howard

Formerly the goods and chattels, but not the land, of a felo de se were forfeited to the crown, but such forfeitures were abolished by the Forfeiture Act 1870.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 2 "Fairbanks, Erastus" to "Fens" by Various

This done, as Americans are proverbial for humanity and decency the compound felo de se was interred with a calm dignified solemnity.

From Sages and Heroes of the American Revolution by L. Carroll Judson

A Prerogative that tendeth to the Dissolution of all Laws must be void in itself, felo de se; for a Prerogative is a Law.

From A Character of King Charles the Second by George Savile, Marquis of Halifax