deicide

noun

de·​i·​cide ˈdē-ə-ˌsīd How to pronounce deicide (audio) ˈdā-ə- How to pronounce deicide (audio)
1
: the act of killing a divine being or a symbolic substitute of such a being
2
: the killer or destroyer of a god

Examples of deicide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The heroes must battle against Gorr the God Butcher, a warrior on a mission to enact trans-universal deicide, played by Christian Bale. Joe George, Men's Health, 8 July 2022 The church eliminated doctrines of deicide and supersessionism, while issuing formal apologies for Christianity’s role in centuries of persecutions. WSJ, 13 Feb. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deicide.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

ultimately from Latin deus god + -cidium, -cida -cide — more at deity

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deicide was in 1577

Dictionary Entries Near deicide

Cite this Entry

“Deicide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deicide. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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