parricide
noun
par·ri·cide
| \ ˈper-ə-ˌsīd
, ˈpa-rə-\
, ˈpa-rə-\
Definition of parricide
1
[ Latin parricida killer of a close relative, from parri- (perhaps akin to Greek pēos kinsman by marriage) + -cida -cide ]
: one that murders his or her father, mother, or a close relative
2
[ Latin parricidium murder of a close relative, from parri- + -cidium -cide ]
: the act of a parricide
Examples of parricide in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To write in Baldwin’s wake means to displace the father-teacher in a Whitmanesque act of parricide—not to dutifully shoulder the same historical burdens, but to comprehend one’s own historical moment more clearly. — Ismail Muhammad, Slate Magazine, "How critics have misconstrued his influence on today’s great black nonfiction writers.," 15 Feb. 2017 But University of Florida criminologist Kathleen Heide, who specializes in parricide or children who kill their parents, has said that the majority of kids are driven to kill a parent by severe trauma at the hands of that parent. — Mary Emily O'hara, NBC News, "Bresha Meadows Case: Teen Who Killed Father Gets Deal That Spares Jail Time," 22 May 2017 Though parricide is a rare phenomenon, experts say abuse and neglect play a pivotal role in many cases of children who kill their parents. — Andrea Simakis, cleveland.com, "Bresha Meadows' cousin says he also was abused by Jonathan Meadows (photos)," 21 May 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'parricide.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for parricide
parricide
noun
par·ri·cide
| \ ˈpar-ə-ˌsīd
\
\
Legal Definition of parricide
1
: a person who murders his or her mother or father or sometimes a close relative
2
: the act of a parricide