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fratricide

fratricide

1 9.9
The act of killing a brother or sister
  • noun
  • /ˈfrætrɪˌsaɪd/
  • NSFW
: 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

125 3.8

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

112 5.3

A return to friendly relations after a disagreement

How Deadly

mass murder
  • NSFW
48 6.7
fratricide
  • NSFW
1 9.9
assault
  • Specialized
606 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.