homicide

Etymology

From Old French homicide, from Latin homicīda (“man-slayer”) and homicīdium (“manslaughter”).

noun

  1. (countable, uncountable, crime) The killing of one person by another, whether premeditated or unintentional.
  2. (countable) A person who kills another.
  3. (countable, US, police jargon) A victim of homicide; a person who has been unlawfully killed by someone else.
    “She was a hippie kid. How hard would you work a case like that?” “As hard as anyone else,” said Goddard. There was an irritated note in his voice. “She was a homicide. She got what every homicide investigation gets.” 1996, A J Holt, Watch Me
    We don't even know the woman was a homicide. Didn't they say it was possible they both jumped? 2003, Ellen Perry Berkeley, Keith's People, page 58
    The medical examiner was behind on autopsies and cranky, so we didn't even know if the old guy in the pool was a homicide. 2004, Jon Talton, Dry Heat, page 40
  4. (uncountable, US) The department within a police force that investigates cases of homicide.

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