honor killing

noun

: the traditional practice in some countries of killing a family member who is believed to have brought shame on the family

Examples of honor killing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
More recent examples included Honour, the 2020 ITV series about the honor killing of Banaz Mahmod, which was written by Gwyneth Hughes, a white woman. Jake Kanter, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2024 Acclaimed Indian filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava will direct a film about Pakistani model and social media star Qandeel Baloch, who was murdered in an honor killing in 2016. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2022 An anti-honor killing bill passes unanimously in both houses of Parliament. CNN, 13 Sep. 2022 The sotah laws offer a useful example of how the Torah approaches repulsive social norms of ancient times such as honor killing. Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2022 The psychological horror is set in a conservative household in 1930s Damascus and centers on an honor killing. Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 6 Apr. 2022 It was called an honor killing, something common at the time. Sofia Krusmark, The Arizona Republic, 28 Feb. 2022 After her death, Pakistan’s parliament passed an anti-honor killing law, which outlined harsher punishments and partially closed loopholes for some familial pardons, according to Human Rights Watch. Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2022 Converts to Christianity in Yemen are at a high risk of honor killing or physical violence. Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of honor killing was in 1929

Dictionary Entries Near honor killing

Cite this Entry

“Honor killing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honor%20killing. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!