mutilate

[ myoot-l-eyt ]
/ ˈmyut lˌeɪt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR mutilate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), mu·ti·lat·ed, mu·ti·lat·ing.

to injure, disfigure, or make imperfect by removing or irreparably damaging parts: Vandals mutilated the painting.
to deprive (a person or animal) of a limb or other essential part.

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Origin of mutilate

1525–35; < Latin mutilātus (past participle of mutilāre to cut off, maim), equivalent to mutil(us) maimed, mutilated + -ātus -ate1

OTHER WORDS FROM mutilate

Words nearby mutilate

muted, mutein, mutha, muti, muticous, mutilate, mutilating keratoderma, mutilation, mutineer, mutinous, mutiny
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to mutilate

deface, disfigure, injure, cripple, amputate, distort, butcher, disable, ravage, hack, dismember, mangle, mar, lame, expurgate, scratch, lacerate, hurt, crush, bowdlerize

Example sentences from the Web for mutilate

British Dictionary definitions for mutilate

mutilate
/ (ˈmjuːtɪˌleɪt) /

verb (tr)

to deprive of a limb, essential part, etc; maim; dismember
to mar, expurgate, or damage (a text, book, etc)

Derived forms of mutilate

mutilation, nounmutilative, adjectivemutilator, noun

Word Origin for mutilate

C16: from Latin mutilāre to cut off; related to mutilus maimed
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012