Mutilation
/ˌmjuː.tɪˈleɪ.ʃən/noun
The act of severely damaging, disfiguring, or removing part of a body or object.
Did you know?The Latin adjective *mutilus* meant “maimed” or “crippled,” but its deeper origin is uncertain; scholars sometimes compare it with Ancient Greek *mutilos*, also meaning mutilated.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
mutilus
“Maimed, crippled, or lacking a bodily part”
Classical Latin
Latin
mutilāre
“To maim, mutilate, or make incomplete”
Late Latin
Latin
mutilātiō
“The act of maiming or mutilating”
Medieval Latin
Latin
mutilatio
“Maiming, disfigurement, or loss of a part”
15th Century
English
mutilacion
“The act of maiming or dismembering”
Modern English
English
mutilation
“Severe damage, disfigurement, or removal of part of a body or object”
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