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mariticide

mariticide

9.9
To kill your husband
  • noun
  • /ˈmɛrɪtɪˌsaɪd/
  • Offensive
: mariticidio
  • The court found her guilty of mariticide after a lengthy trial.

Examples

  • Historically, mariticide has been treated as a distinct criminal offense in some legal systems.

  • In literature, mariticide often serves as a dramatic turning point in the plot.

  • The crime of mariticide is rare but shocking.

  • Many cultures have taboos against mariticide.

  • The novel explored the theme of mariticide as a betrayal filled with jealousy and revenge.

  • After her husband's sudden death, rumors of mariticide circulated among the townspeople.

  • In ancient texts, mariticide was often depicted as a crime committed for power and revenge.

Surface Forms

mariticide singular
mariticides plural

Morphology

mariticide = marit + cide

The word is historically built from a Latin-derived combining form meaning 'husband' plus '-cide', but the base is not a standalone English word and the meaning is not guessable from ordinary English morphology.

Etymology

The word mariticide comes from the Latin maritus, meaning 'husband', and the ending -cide, meaning 'to kill', like in homicide and suicide. So, mariticide means the killing of one's husband.