felo-de-se
- noun
- /ˈfɛloʊ dɪ ˈseɪ/
- Archaic
- It reasserts that suicide is a felo-de-se (a felony against oneself), a crime against God and the king.
Examples
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In historical legal discussions, someone deemed a felo de se would not receive a proper burial.
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The court classified his tragic death as a felo de se, highlighting the legal implications of suicide.
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Many societies viewed acts of suicide as felo de se, prompting both legal and moral debates.
Synonyms
A person who ends their own life on purpose
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word felo-de-se comes from an old Latin phrase that uses felon, a word for a criminal, plus de and se meaning 'of' and 'self'. So a felo-de-se was a person who was treated as a criminal for killing themselves, and the term now means someone who commits suicide.