noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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UK:/əˈsæsɪn/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -æsɪn
CMU ARPABET:AH0 S AE1 S AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Someone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public or political figure.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Any ruthless killer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A member of the Nizari Ismaili Muslim community of the Alamut Period.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: capitalized, historical, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
An associated prime of a module.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: humorous
Topics: algebra, mathematics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To assassinate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: nonstandard
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
a murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political figure) who kills by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the deed
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
his assassins were hunted down like animals
assassinators of kings and emperors
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: assassinator, bravo
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: murderer, liquidator, manslayer
Narrower terms: Booth, John Wilkes Booth, Oswald, Lee Harvey Oswald
7
noun
Meaning 7
a member of a secret order of Muslims (founded in the 12th century) who terrorized and killed Christian Crusaders
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: Muslim, Moslem
History
Etymology
From either French assassin or Italian assassino, from Arabic أَسَاسِيِّين (ʔasāsiyyīn, “people who are faithful to the foundation [of the faith]”) and the folkloric etymology Arabic حَشَّاشِين (ḥaššāšīn, “hashish users; low-lives”). The mathematical sense was introduced by Bourbaki, playing on the notation operatorname Ass(M) and the fact that an associated prime is the annihilator of an element, and so is said to kill that element.
Across languages
Translations
228 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
حَشَّاش
(ḥaššāš)
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Arabic:
حشاشين
(ḥeššašin)
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Caló:
asesino
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Chinese Mandarin:
哈薩辛 /哈萨辛
(hāsàxīn)
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Chinese Mandarin:
阿萨辛
(asàxin)
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Czech:
asasín
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Czech:
hašašín
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Danish:
assassiner
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Dutch:
assassijn
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Dutch:
Assassijn
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
French:
assassin
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
German:
Assassine
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Greek:
ασσασίνος
(assasínos)
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Hebrew:
חשאשין
(khashashin)
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Hungarian:
asszaszin
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Italian:
assassino
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Ladino:
hashashin
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Ladino:
asasino
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Latin:
assassinus
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Macedonian:
аса́син
(asásin)
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Persian:
حشاشین
(haššâšin)
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Polish:
asasyn
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Portuguese:
assassino
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Russian:
ассаси́н
(assasín)
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Russian:
хашаши́н
(xašašín)
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Serbo-Croatian:
asasin
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Sindhi:
حشاشين
(hashashin)
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Slovak:
asasín
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Spanish:
asesino
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Spanish:
nizarí
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Spanish:
hashashin
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Turkish:
haşhaşi
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Welsh:
asasin
— member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Afrikaans:
sluipmoordenaar
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Arabic:
قَاتِل
(qātil)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Arabic:
سَفَّاح
(saffāḥ)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Arabic:
سَفَّاك
(saffāk)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Arabic:
مُغْتَال
(muḡtāl)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Arabic:
قتال
(qettal)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Arabic:
قاتل
(qatel)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Armenian:
մարդասպան
(mardaspan)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Belarusian:
наёмны забо́йца
(najómny zabójca)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Bulgarian:
уби́ец
(ubíec)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Bulgarian:
уби́йца
(ubíjca)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Bulgarian:
терори́ст
(teroríst)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Bulgarian:
терори́стка
(terorístka)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Bulgarian:
нае́мен уби́ец
(naémen ubíec)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Caló:
marrabador
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Caló:
muleró
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Catalan:
assassí
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Catalan:
assassina
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Chinese Mandarin:
刺客
(cìkè)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Chinese Mandarin:
凶手
(xiōngshǒu)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Czech:
atentátník
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Czech:
atentátnice
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Danish:
snigmorder
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Danish:
snigmorderske
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Danish:
attentatmand
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Danish:
attentatkvinde
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Danish:
lønmorder
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Dutch:
sluipmoordenaar
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Dutch:
sluipmoordenares
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Dutch:
huurmoordenaar
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Dutch:
huurmoordenares
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Esperanto:
murdinto
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Esperanto:
murdintino
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Estonian:
palgamõrvar
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Faroese:
slysdrápsmaður
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Finnish:
salamurhaaja
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
French:
assassin
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
French:
assassine
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Friulian:
sassin
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Galician:
asasino
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Galician:
asasina
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Georgian:
კილერი
(ḳileri)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Georgian:
დაქირავებული მკვლელი
(dakiravebuli mḳvleli)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
German:
Attentäter
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
German:
Attentäterin
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
German:
Mörder
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
German:
Mörderin
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Greek:
δολοφόνος
(dolofónos)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Hebrew:
מִתְנַקֵּשׁ
(mitnakésh)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Hebrew:
מִתְנַקֶּשֶׁת
(mitnakéshet)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Hindi:
छलघाती
(chalghātī)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Hindi:
गुप्तघाती
(guptaghātī)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Hindi:
हत्यारा
(hatyārā)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Hindi:
विषकन्या
(viṣkanyā)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Hindi:
गरकट
(garkaṭ)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Hindi:
क़ातिल
(qātil)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Hindi:
ख़ूनी
(xūnī)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Hindi:
आदमकुश
(ādamkuś)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Hungarian:
bérgyilkos
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Icelandic:
launmorðingi
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Irish:
feallmharfóir
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Italian:
assassino
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Italian:
assassina
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Japanese:
暗殺者
(ansatsusha)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Japanese:
刺客
(shikyaku)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Japanese:
キラー
(kirā)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Khmer:
ឃាតករ
(khiət kɑɑ)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Korean:
암살자
(amsalja)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Korean:
자객
(jagaek)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Northern Kurdish:
suîqestker
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Northern Kurdish:
mirovkuj
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Ladino:
asasino
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Ladino:
matador (Haketía)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Latin:
assassīnus
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Latin:
percussor
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Latin:
sīcārius
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Latvian:
algots slepkava
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Latvian:
slepkava
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Macedonian:
у́биец
(úbiec)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Macedonian:
атента́тор
(atentátor)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Malay:
pembunuh upahan
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Marathi:
छलघाती
(chalghātī)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Marathi:
गुप्तघाती
(guptaghātī)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Marathi:
हत्यारा
(hatyārā)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Marathi:
विषकन्या
(viṣkanyā)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Marathi:
मारेकरी
(mārekrī)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Norman:
assâsîn
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Norman:
assâsine
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Norwegian Bokmål:
snikmorder
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Norwegian Bokmål:
snikmorderske
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Norwegian Bokmål:
attentatmann
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Norwegian Bokmål:
attentatkvinne
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Norwegian Bokmål:
lønnmorder
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Norwegian Nynorsk:
snikmordar
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Norwegian Nynorsk:
attentatmann
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Norwegian Nynorsk:
attentatkvinne
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Odia:
ଛଳଘାତୀ
(chaḷaghāti)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Odia:
ଗୁପ୍ତଘାତୀ
(guptaghāti)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Odia:
ହତ୍ୟାରା
(hatyārā)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Odia:
ବିଷକନ୍ୟା
(biṣakanyā)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Old English:
morþslaga
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Persian:
آدمکش
(âdamkoš)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Polish:
zamachowiec
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Polish:
zamachowczyni
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Polish:
skrytobójca
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Polish:
skrytobójczyni
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Portuguese:
assassino
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Portuguese:
assassina
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Russian:
уби́йца
(ubíjca)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Russian:
ки́ллер
(kíller)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Russian:
наёмный уби́йца
(najómnyj ubíjca)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Serbo-Croatian:
атѐнта̄тор
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Serbo-Croatian:
atèntātor
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Sanskrit:
छलघाती
(chalaghātī)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Sanskrit:
गुप्तघाती
(guptaghātī)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Sanskrit:
हत्यारा
(hatyārā)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Sanskrit:
विषकन्या
(viṣakanyā)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Sindhi:
قاتل
(qatil)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Slovak:
atentátnik
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Slovak:
atentátnička
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Slovene:
atentator
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Slovene:
atentatorka
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Spanish:
asesino
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Spanish:
asesina
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Spanish:
sicario
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Spanish:
magnicida
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Swedish:
lönnmördare
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Swedish:
lönnmörderska
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Tagalog:
manlilingo
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Tajik:
одамкуш
(odamkuš)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Thai:
ผู้สังหาร
(pûu-sǎng-hǎan)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Turkish:
suikastçı
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Ukrainian:
на́йманий уби́вця
(nájmanyj ubývcja)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Urdu:
قَاتِل
(qātil)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Urdu:
آدَمْکُش
(ādamkuś)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Urdu:
ہَتْیَارَا
(hatyārā)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Urdu:
خُونِی
(xūnī)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Urdu:
گَرْکَٹ
(garkaṭ)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Vietnamese:
kẻ ám sát
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Vietnamese:
sát thủ
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Welsh:
bradlofrudd
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Yiddish:
רוצח
(retseyekh)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Yiddish:
מערדער
(merder)
— one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Afrikaans:
moordenaar
— any ruthless killer
Arabic:
سفاح
(seffaḥ)
— any ruthless killer
Bulgarian:
уби́ец
(ubíec)
— any ruthless killer
Bulgarian:
уби́йца
(ubíjca)
— any ruthless killer
Caló:
marrabador
— any ruthless killer
Catalan:
assassí
— any ruthless killer
Catalan:
assassina
— any ruthless killer
Chinese Mandarin:
暗殺者 /暗杀者
(ànshāzhě)
— any ruthless killer
Chinese Mandarin:
杀手
(shāshǒu)
— any ruthless killer
Danish:
morder
— any ruthless killer
Danish:
drabsmand
— any ruthless killer
Dutch:
moordenaar
— any ruthless killer
Dutch:
moordenares
— any ruthless killer
Dutch:
moordenaarster
— any ruthless killer
French:
assassin
— any ruthless killer
French:
assassine
— any ruthless killer
Galician:
asasino
— any ruthless killer
Galician:
asasina
— any ruthless killer
Georgian:
მკვლელი
(mḳvleli)
— any ruthless killer
German:
Meuchelmörder
— any ruthless killer
German:
Meuchelmörderin
— any ruthless killer
German:
Mörder
— any ruthless killer
German:
Mörderin
— any ruthless killer
Greek:
δολοφόνος
(dolofónos)
— any ruthless killer
