manslaughter

Meaning

Noun

  • The slaying of a human being.
  • The unlawful killing of a human, either in negligence or incidentally to the commission of some unlawful act, but without specific malice, or upon a sudden excitement of anger; considered less culpable than murder, but more culpable than justifiable homicide.

Origin

  • From Middle English manslaȝter, manslauter, equivalent to man + slaughter, or taken as an adaptation of Old English mannslieht ("homicide"), from mann + slieht, see manslaught. Cognate with Scots manslauchter ("homicide"). Compare also Old Frisian monslaga ("murder").

Modern English dictionary

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