decapitate

/dɪˈkæpɪteɪt/

/dɪˈkæpɪteɪt/

Other forms: decapitated; decapitating; decapitates

When the bad-tempered Queen of Hearts cried “off with their heads!” in Alice in Wonderland, she was ordering her henchmen to decapitate those who had offended her.

The verb decapitate comes from Latin de ”away” or “down” and caput “head.” Don’t confuse it with kaput, a German word that means “broken” or destroyed.” Of course, if someone were to decapitate you, you’d be pretty well kaput.

Definitions of decapitate

1. verb

   cut the head of
   synonyms: behead, decollate

   types:

   guillotine

   kill by cutting the head off with a guillotine

   type of:

   kill

   cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly