murderer

[mur-der-er]

noun

1. a person who commits murder.

Other Word Forms

• self-murderer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of murderer¹

1300–50; Middle English mortherer, mord ( e ) rer; murder, -er ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. murderers' row,

   1. the row of cells in a prison where murderers and other violent or hard-core criminals are held.

   2. Baseball. a succession of heavy hitters scheduled to bat one after the other.

   3. any group of notorious or important people.

      a murderers' row of talent;

      a murderers' row of philosophers.

Example Sentences

The Taliban also introduced public executions for convicted murderers and punished thieves by amputating a hand.

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Among the last actions by former President Joe Biden before leaving the Oval Office was commuting the death sentences of 37 convicted murderers.

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Even as institutional expertise dooms the victim, it empowers the murderer, who has created a seemingly impenetrable alibi by taking advantage of the record-keeping intrinsic to large organizations.

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“What they’re trying to do with these riots and violence is distract us and keep us from going after those murderers and rapists that are out in the streets,” Noem said.

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"Eternal is their gratitude, the murderers, the paedophiles, the rapists," read blue graffiti on his tombstone.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• assassin 
• executioner