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Definition of behead

behead

/bɪˈhɛd/
be · head
Adjective:beheaded
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Past Simple:beheaded
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Past Participle:beheaded
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Present Participle:beheading
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behead Lexical Profile

behead Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To cut off the head of a person or animal, especially as a form of capital punishment.

Example

"The historical drama depicts the sixteenth-century monarch ordering the court to behead the accused traitor."

2

To remove the top or upper part of an object, plant, or statue.

Example

"Vandals entered the ancient ruins overnight to behead several marble statues along the colonnade."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for behead

• Rhymes for behead

• Nearby Words

behavior
behavioral
behaviorally
behead
behemoth
behest
behind

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'beheafdian', formed from the privative prefix 'be-' (meaning 'off' or 'away') and 'heafod' ('head').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Behead. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/behead
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