decapitation
Beheading; the act of beheading or decapitating.
Example
“If the headsman's axe was sharp and his aim was true, decapitation was a quick and relatively painless form of death.”
Other meanings
The ousting or destruction of the ruling body of a government or other organization.
“A decapitation strike carried out by drone killed many of the country's senior generals.”
The unseating of a senior politician.
“The decapitation of the Foreign Secretary was a significant publicity coup for the opposition.”
Synonyms
- beheading
Related words
- decapitation strike
- decapitation secretion
Word history
From French "décapitation".
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “decapitation” on Wiktionary, by its contributors, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.