patricide

[ pa-truh-sahyd, pey‑ ]

noun

1. the act of killing one's own father.
2. a person who commits such an act.

patricide

/ ˈpætrɪˌsaɪd /

noun

1. the act of killing one's father
2. a person who kills his father

Derived Forms

• ˌpatriˈcidal, adjective

Other Words From

• patri·cidal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of patricide¹

First recorded in 1585–95; patri- + -cide

Example Sentences

He was closest to finding out their secret before taking part in patricide, a crime the universe doesn’t easily excuse.

From Salon

“It is a story about patricide and the consequences,” he said by phone from Lyon, France, referring to the death of the Marquis of Calatrava.

From New York Times

Dreaming of patricide — symbolically, for now — is the glue binding them together at present.

From New York Times

This is all unfortunate, because it clouds the story’s inherent dramas: patricide, assault, forced eviction, flooding, racism, pseudoscience.

From Los Angeles Times

Lamb Rated R for matricide, patricide and kidnapping.

From New York Times