murder
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murder¹
- /ˈmɜːdə(ɹ)/ UK
- /ˈmɝ.dɚ/ US
Rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)də(ɹ)
Where it comes from
From Middle English murder, murdre, mourdre, alteration of earlier murthre (“murder”) (see murther), from Old English morþor (“secret slaying, unlawful killing”) and Old English myrþra (“murder, homicide”), both from Proto-West Germanic *morþr, from Proto-Germanic *murþrą (“death, killing, murder”), from Proto-Indo-European *mr̥tro- (“killing”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer-, *mor-, *mr̥- (“to die”). Akin to Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌸𐍂 (maurþr, “murder”), Old High German mord (“murder”), Old Norse morð (“murder”), Old English myrþrian (“to murder”) and morþ.
The -d- in the Middle English form may have been influenced in part by Anglo-Norman murdre, from Old French murdre, from Medieval Latin murdrum (whence the English doublet of murdrum), from Frankish *morþr, *murþr (“murder”), from the same Germanic root, though this may also have been wholly the result of internal development (compare burden, from burthen and spider, from spiþra).
(crows): Attested at least since 1475.
noun murders · murther
- An act of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination. Throwing that punch was a murder whether you meant for it to happen or not.
- The crime of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination. The defendant was charged with murder.
- Short for felony murder, the act of committing or abetting a crime that results in the killing of a person, regardless of intent, even if the perpetrator did not directly kill the victim. Both the arsonist and her partner were charged with murder, even though they had intended for it to be a victimless crime.
- The act of killing any being in an immoral manner; (countable) an instance of this. It may be guessed, indeed, that this was the original form of the story, the fairy being the addition of those who considered Jack's thefts from (and murder of) the giant to be scarcely justified without her.
-
Synonym of murderer , a person who has unlawfully killed another.
Similar: murderer
- Something difficult or terrible to endure. I heard this class is murder.
- Something remarkable or impressive. Right quick another cat spoke up real loud, saying, “That’s murder man, really murder,” and his eyes were signifying too.
-
A flock of crows or sometimes ravens.
A murder of crows dotted my backyard.
Similar: conspiracy, unkindness, flock
Similar: homicide, manslaughter, assassination
verb murders · murdering · murdered · murther
- To illegally kill (a person or persons) with intent, especially with predetermination The woman found dead in her kitchen was murdered by her husband.
- To kill violently. My uncle’s dog murdered my cat.
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To defeat decisively.
Our team is going to murder them.
Similar: thrash, trounce, wipe the floor with
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To kick someone's ass or chew someone out (used to express one’s anger at somebody).
He's torn my best shirt. When I see him, I'll murder him!
Similar: kill
- To botch or mangle. Dr. Caius, the Frenchman in the play, and Evans the Welshman, "Gallia et Guallia," succeed pretty well in their efforts to murder the language.
- To devour, ravish. I could murder a hamburger right now.
Similar: assassinate, kill, massacre, slaughter, remove
Murder²
Where it comes from
English surname from the verb murder, originally given to someone who had a reputation of being a murderer or was accused of committing murder.
proper noun Murders
- A surname.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: homicide, slaying, slay, bump off, remove, mutilate, mangle, hit, dispatch, polish off, killing, assassination, manslaughter, execution, extermination, massacre
noun
Similar: homicide, manslaughter, assassination
verb
Similar: assassinate, kill, massacre, slaughter, remove
Translations
Every language
noun an act of deliberate killing
| Español | asesinato |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 살인 sarin, 살해 salhae |
| 日本語 | 殺人 satsujin, 謀殺 bōsatsu, 殺害 satsugai |
| 中文 | 殺人 /杀人 shārén, 謀殺 /谋杀 móushā |
| हिन्दी | ख़ून xūn, क़त्ल qatla, हत्या hatyā, घात ghāt |
| Português | assassínio, homicídio, assassinato |
| Français | meurtre, homicide volontaire |
| Deutsch | Mord |
| Italiano | assassinio, omicidio, uccisione |
| Ελληνικά | φόνος fónos, δολοφονία dolofonía, ανθρωποκτονία anthropoktonía |
| Română | asasinat, crimă |
| Русский | уби́йство ubíjstvo, мо́крое де́ло mókroje délo, мокру́ха mokrúxa |
| Tiếng Việt | giết người, vụ giết người, ám sát, vụ ám sát |
| العربية | قَتْل qatl |
| עברית | רֶצַח rétzakh |
noun the crime of deliberate killing
| Español | asesinato |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 살인 sarin, 살인죄 sarinjoe, 모살 mosal |
| 日本語 | 殺人 satsujin, 殺人罪 satsujinzai |
| 中文 | 謀殺 /谋杀 móushā |
| हिन्दी | हत्या hatyā |
| Português | assassínio, homicídio, assassinato |
| Français | meurtre, assassinat |
| Deutsch | Mord |
| Italiano | assassinio, omicidio |
| Ελληνικά | φόνος fónos, δολοφονία dolofonía, ανθρωποκτονία anthropoktonía |
| Русский | уби́йство ubíjstvo |
| Tiếng Việt | (tội) giết người, (tội) ám sát |
| العربية | قَتْلٌ عَمْدٌ qatlun ʕamdun |
| עברית | רֶצַח rétzakh |
noun terrible to endure
| Português | tortura |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Mord, mörderisch |
| Ελληνικά | μαρτύριο martýrio |
| עברית | סיוט si'ut |
noun flock of crows
| Português | bando |
|---|---|
| עברית | להקת עורבים |
verb deliberately kill
| Español | asesinar, victimar |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 살인하다 sarinhada |
| 日本語 | 殺す korosu, 殺害する satsugai-suru |
| 中文 | 殺害 /杀害 shāhài, 謀殺 /谋杀 móushā, 殺人 /杀人 shārén |
| हिन्दी | हत्या hatyā |
| Português | assassinar |
| Français | occire, meurtrir, assassiner |
| Deutsch | ermorden |
| Italiano | assassinare |
| Ελληνικά | δολοφονώ dolofonó, σκοτώνω skotóno, φονεύω fonévo |
| Русский | убива́ть ubivátʹ, уби́ть ubítʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | giết, ám sát, tàn sát |
| العربية | قَتَلَ qatala |
| עברית | רצח ratzákh |
verb defeat decisively
| Español | cepillarse, ventilarse, aplastar, aniquilar |
|---|---|
| Português | detonar, massacrar, destroçar, acabar com, destruir |
| Français | anéantir |
| Deutsch | massakrieren |
| Italiano | massacrare |
| Русский | разгроми́ть razgromítʹ |
| עברית | הביס hevís |
verb express one’s anger at
| 日本語 | 殺す korosu |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | umbringen |
| Русский | убива́ть ubivátʹ |
| עברית | הביע כעס hibía' ká'as, זעם za'ám |
verb devour
| Español | devorar, meterse entre pecho y espalda |
|---|---|
| Português | devorar |
| Italiano | distruggere |
| עברית | טרף taráf |
Talk about this word "murder." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/murder. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. murder. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/murder "murder." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/murder.Cite this
@misc{murder_2026,
title = {murder},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/murder},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
