execution
ek-suh-KYOO-shun
/ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃən/
The carrying out of a sentence of death on a condemned person.
Can also mean the carrying out of a plan or task, but in this context, it is specifically the act of killing a prisoner.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'exsequi,' meaning 'to follow out' or 'to carry out.' It refers to the final step in the legal process—carrying out the court's order.
Word relationships
- putting to death: A more descriptive, less formal phrase.
- reprieve: A cancellation or postponement of a punishment.
Commonly confused with
- assassination: An execution is legal and state-sanctioned; an assassination is a political murder.
Word family
- execute (verb): To carry out a sentence of death.
- executioner (noun): The person who carries out the death sentence.
Collocations
- stay of execution
- public execution
- execution chamber
Example sentences
- "The execution was stayed by the governor just minutes before it was scheduled to begin." News report
- "The execution of the laws is more important than the making of them." Historical quote (Thomas Jefferson)
Memory hook
When you 'execute' a plan, you finish it. An execution is the 'finish' of a death sentence. Execute = Carry out to the end.
When not to use
Avoid using 'execution' for a murder; it implies a formal, legal process.
Fun facts
- The French Revolution's guillotine was originally intended as a more 'humane' and 'egalitarian' method of execution.
- In some countries, the identity of the executioner is kept a state secret.
Related words
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