guillotine
UK: ˈɡɪlətiːn | US: ˈɡɪlətiːn
n. A device with a heavy blade used for beheading people, historically associated with executions during the French Revolution.
vt. To execute or cut (something) using a guillotine.
guillotine = Guillot<Joseph Guillotin> + ine<noun suffix>
- Guillot: Named after Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, a French physician who proposed the device as a more humane execution method (though he did not invent it).
- ine: A noun-forming suffix of French origin, often used in names of instruments or machines.
Etymology Origin:
The word "guillotine" directly derives from the surname of Dr. Joseph Guillotin, who advocated for its use in 1789. Ironically, Guillotin opposed capital punishment but sought to make executions less painful. The device itself was designed by surgeon Antoine Louis, initially called the "Louisette." However, public usage cemented "guillotine" as the term, blending Guillotin’s name with the French suffix -ine (as in machine). The word’s evolution reflects both linguistic borrowing and historical irony.
The guillotine became a symbol of the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror.
During the 18th century, thousands were executed by guillotine in France.
The museum displayed a replica of an 18th-century guillotine.
Some debated whether the guillotine was truly a humane method of execution.
The revolutionary government ordered the guillotine to be erected in public squares.