femicide
femicide Lexical Profile
femicide Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The intentional killing of a woman or girl, particularly by a man and on account of her gender.
"International human rights organizations have called for stronger legislation to combat rising rates of femicide."
A person who kills a woman or girl.
"The prosecutor presented overwhelming evidence that led to the conviction of the accused femicide."
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern legal and sociological contexts, 'femicide' specifically denotes the gender-motivated killing of a woman or girl, whereas 'homicide' is the broader, gender-neutral legal term for the killing of any person.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 19th century from the Latin 'femina' (woman) and '-cidium' (a cutting or killing, from 'caedere'), and later popularized in the 1970s by feminist sociologist Diana E. H. Russell to highlight gender-based violence.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.