euthanasia

noun

eu·​tha·​na·​sia ˌyü-thə-ˈnā-zh(ē-)ə 

: the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (such as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy

euthanasic

ˌyü-thə-ˈnā-zik 

-sik

adjective

Did you know?

Where does euthanasia come from?

Euthanasia is a mass noun (or noncount noun), that is, a noun used only in the singular form.

The word comes from the Greek euthanatos, which means “easy death.” In English, euthanasia has been used in exactly this sense since the early seventeenth century, when Francis Bacon described the phenomenon as “after the fashion and semblance of a kindly & pleasant sleepe.” Nowadays, the word usually refers to the means of attaining such a death.

Examples of euthanasia in a Sentence

a physician who refuses to practice euthanasia

Recent Examples on the Web

At Venice, Almodóvar spoke passionately in defence of euthanasia. —Alex Ritman, Variety, 26 Sep. 2024

Over the last couple of years, the poultry industry — in its efforts to stamp out the spread of bird flu — has killed tens of millions of animals by closing vents and cranking up the heat so the birds slowly die by heatstroke, the most cost-effective, and cruelest, form of mass euthanasia. —Kenny Torrella, Vox, 16 Sep. 2024

Editor’s note: the following story contains mention of euthanasia. —Sophie Hanson, StyleCaster, 10 Sep. 2024

Explaining the choice of Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door for the top prize, Huppert said the jury had been impressed with the way the director had dealt with the subject of euthanasia. —Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Greek, easy death, from euthanatos, from eu- + thanatos death — more at thanatos

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

euthanasia

noun

eu·​tha·​na·​sia ˌyü-thə-ˈnā-zh(ē-)ə 

: the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured persons or animals with as little pain as possible for reasons of mercy

called also mercy killing

Medical Definition

euthanasia

noun

eu·​tha·​na·​sia ˌyü-thə-ˈnā-zh(ē-)ə 

: the act or practice of causing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (such as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy

called also mercy killing

Legal Definition

euthanasia

noun

eu·​tha·​na·​sia ˌyü-thə-ˈnā-zhə 

: the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured persons in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy

called also mercy killing

euthanasic

-ˈnā-zik, -sik 

adjective