Decapitate — De*cap i*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Decapitated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Decapitating}.] [LL. decapitatus, p. p. of decapitare; L. de + caput head. See {Chief}.] 1. To cut off the head of; to behead. [1913 Webster] 2. To remove summarily from office.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
decapitate — (v.) 1610s, from Fr. décapiter (14c.), from L.L. decapitatus pp. of decapitare, from L. de off (see DE (Cf. de )) + caput (gen. capitis) head (see HEAD (Cf. head)). Related: Decapitated; decapitating … Etymology dictionary
decapitate — [v] behead ax, bring to the block*, chop off one’s head, decollate, execute, guillotine; concept 176 … New thesaurus
decapitate — ► VERB ▪ cut off the head of. DERIVATIVES decapitation noun. ORIGIN Latin decapitare, from caput head … English terms dictionary
decapitate — [dē kap′ə tāt΄, dikap′ə tāt΄] vt. decapitated, decapitating [Fr décapiter < ML decapitatus, pp. of decapitare < L de , off + caput, HEAD] to cut off the head of; behead decapitation n. decapitator n … English World dictionary
decapitate — UK [dɪˈkæpɪteɪt] / US [dɪˈkæpɪˌteɪt] verb [transitive] Word forms decapitate : present tense I/you/we/they decapitate he/she/it decapitates present participle decapitating past tense decapitated past participle decapitated formal to cut off… … English dictionary
decapitate — [dɪ kapɪteɪt] verb 1》 cut off the head of. 2》 attempt to undermine (a group) by removing its leaders. Derivatives decapitation noun decapitator noun Origin C17: from late L. decapitat , decapitare to decapitate , from de + caput, capit head … English new terms dictionary
decapitate — transitive verb ( tated; tating) Etymology: Late Latin decapitatus, past participle of decapitare, from Latin de + capit , caput head more at head Date: circa 1611 to cut off the head of ; behead • decapitation noun • … New Collegiate Dictionary
decapitate — decapitation, n. decapitator, n. /di kap i tayt /, v.t., decapitated, decapitating. to cut off the head of; behead: Many people were decapitated during the French Revolution. [1605 15; < LL decapitatus, ptp. of decapitare, equiv. to de DE + capit … Universalium
decapitate — verb /dɪˈkapɪteɪt/ To remove the head of. Syn: behead, decollate Ant: recapitate … Wiktionary
