English Explanatory Dictionary

manslaughter

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The slaying of a human being.
  2. The unlawful killing of a human, either in negligence or incidentally to the commission of some unlawful act, but without specific malice, or upon a sudden excitement of anger; considered less culpable than murder, but more culpable than justifiable homicide.

Pronunciation

/ˈmænˌslɔːtə/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-manslaughter.wav /ˈmænˌslɔtɚ/

Word forms

manslaughter manslaughters

Etymology

From Middle English manslaȝter, manslauter, equivalent to man + slaughter, or taken as an adaptation of Old English mansliht (“murder; killing of a person”), from mann (“person”) + sliht (“killing”), see manslaught. Cognate with Scots manslauchter (“homicide”). Compare also Old Frisian monslaga (“murder”).

Related words

self-slaughter

Derived words

constructive manslaughter corporate manslaughter criminally negligent manslaughter first-degree manslaughter involuntary manslaughter manslaughterous second-degree manslaughter voluntary manslaughter
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