Executioner
/ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃənər/
Definitions
A person whose job is to kill someone as a punishment decided by a court of law.
/ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃənər/
A person who carries out a sentence of capital punishment.
The executioner, dressed in black, led the prisoner to the scaffold.
💡 Simply: Imagine a really unlucky person who has to carry out a punishment. The executioner is the one who performs the ultimate sentence on someone. Like, in the olden days, they were responsible for carrying out the death penalty.
👶 For kids: The person who kills someone as a punishment.
More Examples
Historically, executioners were often viewed with a mixture of fear and contempt.
The executioner's role was a grim but necessary one in some societies.
How It's Used
"Executioners were common figures in medieval societies."
"The executioner prepared the condemned for the final act."
Idioms & expressions
on the executioner's block
In a dangerous situation; facing imminent punishment or defeat.
"With the company's financial reports under scrutiny, the CEO was effectively on the executioner's block."
From Middle English *execucionour*, from Old French *execucion* (execution) + *-our* (suffix indicating agent). The role evolved alongside the practice of capital punishment.
The term appears regularly in historical records, particularly those detailing legal proceedings and accounts of public executions.
Memory tip
Think of the person who *executes* the punishment. The *executioner* performs the *execution*.