assassinate

Etymology

From assassin + -ate, after Middle French assassiner.

verb

1. To murder someone, especially an important person, by a sudden or obscure attack, especially for ideological or political reasons.
2. (figurative) To harm, ruin, or defame severely or destroy by treachery, slander, libel, or obscure attack.

noun

1. (obsolete) Assassination, murder.
   Mor. Why? if I had made an assassinate upon your Father; vitiated your Mother: ravished your Sisters― Tru. I would kill you, Sir, I would kill you, if you had. Mor. Why? you do more in this, Sir: it were a vengeance centuple, for all facinorous Acts, that could be nam'd, to do that you do. , originally Act II Scene II page 187 but Scene I in Gifford’s 1816 edition volume III pages 367–368
2. (obsolete) An assassin.