patricide

Meanings

1. 1noununcountableformallegal

   The act of killing one's own father.

   Grammar: Used as an uncountable for the crime, as in a charge of patricide.

   Patterns

   • commit patricide
   • accused of patricide

   The play tells of a prince who commits patricide without knowing it.

   He was tried for patricide in the old court.

   Patricide is a theme in many Greek myths.

2. 2nouncountableformalrare

   A person who has killed his or her own father.

   Grammar: Rare for the person: he was a patricide.

   Patterns

   • a patricide

   The patricide was sentenced to life in prison.

   Records describe him as a patricide.

   The story follows a patricide seeking forgiveness.

Word forms

Common combinations

commit patricide

The tragic hero unknowingly commits patricide.

accused of patricide

The young man was accused of patricide.

a case of patricide

The detective investigated a case of patricide.

charged with patricide

He was charged with patricide in 1894.

patricide and incest

The myth deals with patricide and incest.

Synonyms and how they differ

parricide

Parricide is broader and covers killing any close relative, especially a parent.

father-killing

Father-killing is plain and descriptive, while patricide is the proper technical word.

homicide

Homicide is any killing of a person, not specifically a father.

Word family

matricide noun

the killing of one's mother

fratricide noun

the killing of one's brother

patricidal adjective

relating to patricide

infanticide noun

the killing of a baby

patricidally adverb

rare; in a manner of patricide

Commonly confused: patricide or patriarchy? patricide or matricide?

Practice

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