Suicide
/ˈsuː.ɪ.saɪd/noun
The act of intentionally ending one’s own life.
Did you know?Unlike many dark-sounding words, “suicide” is a relatively modern coinage, first recorded in the 17th century, replacing older phrases like “self-murder” and showing how language can reframe a taboo.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
suicidium
“self-killing; suicide”
17th Century
English
suicide
“the act of killing oneself”
Modern English
English
suicide
“intentional self-inflicted death”
Latin roots
Latin
sui + -cidium
“of oneself + killing”
Explore more surprising origins