filicide: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowAcademic, Legal, Forensic
Quick answer
What does “filicide” mean?
The act of a parent killing their own child.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of a parent killing their own child.
The killing of one's own son or daughter; can also refer to a person who commits such an act.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or definition differences. Usage is equally rare and technical in both varieties.
Connotations
Universally carries a profound sense of horror and a violation of fundamental social bonds. The term itself is clinical, but the connotation is one of ultimate betrayal.
Frequency
Extremely low-frequency in both dialects, confined to specific professional discourses like law, psychology, criminology, and classical literature.
Grammar
How to Use “filicide” in a Sentence
[person] commits filicideThe crime of filicideAn instance/act of filicideAccused of filicideVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “filicide” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The filicide mother was found unfit to stand trial.
- They studied filicide rates across decades.
American English
- The filicide father was sentenced to life in prison.
- Filicide cases are statistically rare but profoundly shocking.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in psychology, criminology, sociology, law, and classical studies to discuss specific crimes or tragic themes in literature.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation due to its horrific subject matter and technical nature.
Technical
Precise term in legal and forensic contexts to categorise a specific type of homicide.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “filicide”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “filicide”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “filicide”
- Confusing it with 'fratricide' (killing a sibling) or 'infanticide' (killing an infant). Misspelling as 'fillicide' or 'philicide'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Infanticide specifically refers to the killing of a very young child, typically an infant, and does not specify the perpetrator. Filicide specifies the perpetrator is the parent but does not specify the child's age.
Yes, though less common. 'Filicide' can be a noun meaning 'a person who kills their own child' (e.g., 'He was condemned as a filicide'), similar to 'homicide' referring to the killer.
No, it is a very low-frequency, technical term. Most people would describe the act as 'a parent killing their child' rather than use this word.
It comes from Latin 'filium/filia' (son/daughter) and '-cida' (killer) / '-cidium' (act of killing).
The act of a parent killing their own child.
Filicide is usually academic, legal, forensic in register.
Filicide: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfɪl.ɪ.saɪd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfɪl.ə.saɪd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'filial' (relating to a son or daughter) + '-cide' (killing), like 'homicide' or 'suicide'. It's the killing of one's filial relative.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL; THE INVERTED NATURAL ORDER (where the protector becomes the destroyer).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following terms specifically refers to a parent killing their own child?