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serial killer

British  

noun

  1. a person who carries out a series of murders

"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

Example Sentences

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The famous Buddhist Angulimala Sutta tells a story of a serial killer who is redeemed by the Buddha and becomes a righteous monk.

From Slate Jul. 10, 2026

Harpootlian said Murdaugh is deserving of some concessions because of that, noting “this guy is not a serial killer, he’s not Ted Bundy. The only thing he’s been convicted of is stealing money.”

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 29, 2026

Earlier this year, Netflix announced that it will adapt Cosby’s “All the Sinners Bleed” into a limited series, to star Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù as the novel’s small town black sheriff dealing with a serial killer.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 16, 2026

Author Michelle McNamara a decade ago helped revive interest in a serial killer who stalked parts of California in the 1970s and 1980s.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 18, 2026

But the historical record makes Homo sapiens look like an ecological serial killer.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

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