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fratricide

fratricide

2 9.9
The act of killing a brother or sister
  • noun
  • /ˈfrætrɪˌsaɪd/
  • NSFW
translation icon : fratricidio
  • Did you know that most of the Ottoman sultans followed a tradition of fratricide after assuming the throne?
  • an act of fratricide

Examples

  • According to the account of the first fratricide in Genesis, God cursed Cain for murdering his brother, Abel, in a fit of jealousy.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Certainly, these tragic stories of fratricide, like the one out of Clearwater, are causing the judges to take notice.

    Blog text (23)
  • The title immediately forces readers to connect this ancient act of fratricide with the Holocaust.

    Academic text (1996)
  • Hamlet Garcia is overwhelmed not by the task of avenging a fratricide against his father, but by the task of coming to terms with a fratricidal war.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Cain's fratricide had represented more than jealousy over a single offering—the first murder had been an attack on all the children that Abel would have sired had he been permitted to live.

    Academic text (2018)
  • In ancient societies, fratricide was often seen as the ultimate betrayal between siblings.

  • The tragic story of Cain and Abel is often cited as an early example of fratricide.

  • Many families have been torn apart by fratricide, leading to deep rifts that last for generations.

Antonyms

114 5.3

A return to friendly relations after a disagreement

90 3.8

Keeping things safe and in good condition, for example food or buildings

How Deadly

mass murder
  • NSFW
38 6.7
fratricide
  • NSFW
2 9.9
assault
  • Specialized
378 4.5
injury
1.4

Surface Forms

fratricide singular
fratricides plural

Morphology

fratricide = fratri + cide

This is a learned classical formation from fratri- 'brother' plus -cide 'killing', but the elements are not transparent to an average learner.

Etymology

Fratricide comes from two Latin parts: frater meaning 'brother' and -cide meaning 'kill'. So, fratricide is the act of killing your own brother or sister.