decapitation

Definition of decapitation

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪʃǝn

Noun

decapitation (plural decapitations)

1. The act of beheading; beheading.
   
   If the headsman's axe was sharp and his aim was true, decapitation was a quick and relatively painless form of death

Synonyms

• beheading

Further reading

Decapitation (from Latin, caput, capita, meaning head) is the separation of the head of an animal from its body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by means of a guillotine. An executioner carrying out decapitations is called a headsman.

Accidental decapitation can be the result of an explosion, automobile or industrial accident, improperly-administered execution by hanging or other violent injury. Suicide by decapitation is rare, but not unknown.

The word decapitation can also refer, on occasion, to the removal of the head from a body that is already dead. This might be done to take the head as a trophy, for public display, to make the deceased more difficult to identify, for cryonics or for other reasons.

In an analogous fashion, decapitation can also refer to the removal of a head of an organization. If, for example, the leader of a country were killed, that might be referred to as 'decapitation'. It is also used of a political strategy aimed at unseating high-profile members of a party, as used by the Liberal Democrats in the United Kingdom general election, 2005.

Decapitation is immediately fatal, as brain death occurs within seconds to minutes without the support of the organism's body.