Meanings
nounassassin (plural assassins)
plural assassins
- Someone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public or political figure.
What has violence ever accomplished? What has it ever created? No martyr's cause can ever be stilled by an assassin’s bullet.
1968, Robert F. Kennedy, On the Mindless Menace of Violence2 more examples
The hand that held the bond of so many jarring interests lay powerless beneath the pall. The perils of war had been about him, and the midnight assassin had watched his path; yet he died quietly in his bed.
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 233Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee.
2013 June 29, “Travels and travails”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, archived from the original on 12 Mar 2023, page 55 - Any ruthless killer.
- capitalizedhistoricalusuallyA member of the Nizari Ismaili Muslim community of the Alamut Period.
The Assassines, a nation depending of Phœnicia, are esteemed among the Mahometists of a soveraigne devotion and puritie of maners; they hold, that the readiest and shortest way to gaine Paradise, is to kill some one of a contrary religion[…].
1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 29, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC - humorousalgebraAn associated prime of a module.
verbassassin (third-person singular simple present assassins, present participle assassining, simple past and past participle assassined)
present singular third person assassins · participle present assassining · participle past assassined · past assassined
- nonstandardTo assassinate.
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political figure) who kills by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the deed
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Arabicحَشَّاشِين“hashish users; low-lives”
- Arabicأَسَاسِيِّين“people who are faithful to the foundation [of the faith]”
- Italianassassino
- Frenchassassin
- Englishassassin
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.
More words from French, Italian, Arabic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans sluipmoordenaar, moordenaar
- sluipmoordenaarone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- moordenaarany ruthless killer
Arabic قَاتِل, سَفَّاح
- قَاتِل (qātil)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- سَفَّاح (saffāḥ)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- سَفَّاك (saffāk)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- مُغْتَال (muḡtāl)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- حَشَّاش (ḥaššāš)member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Bulgarian уби́ец, уби́йца
- уби́ец (ubíec)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- уби́йца (ubíjca)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- терори́ст (teroríst)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- терори́стка (terorístka)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- нае́мен уби́ец (naémen ubíec)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- уби́ец (ubíec)any ruthless killer
- уби́йца (ubíjca)any ruthless killer
Catalan assassí, assassina
- assassíone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- assassinaone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- assassíany ruthless killer
- assassinaany ruthless killer
Chinese Mandarin 刺客, 凶手
- 刺客 (cìkè)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- 凶手 (xiōngshǒu)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- 暗殺者 /暗杀者 (ànshāzhě)any ruthless killer
- 杀手 (shāshǒu)any ruthless killer
- 哈薩辛 /哈萨辛 (hāsàxīn)member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
- 阿萨辛 (asàxin)member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Czech atentátník, atentátnice
- atentátníkone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- atentátniceone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- asasínmember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
- hašašínmember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Danish snigmorder, snigmorderske
- snigmorderone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- snigmorderskeone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- attentatmandone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- attentatkvindeone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- lønmorderone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- morderany ruthless killer
- drabsmandany ruthless killer
- assassinermember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Dutch sluipmoordenaar, sluipmoordenares
- sluipmoordenaarone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- sluipmoordenaresone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- huurmoordenaarone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- huurmoordenaresone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- moordenaarany ruthless killer
- moordenaresany ruthless killer
- moordenaarsterany ruthless killer
- assassijnmember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
- Assassijnmember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Esperanto murdinto, murdintino
- murdintoone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- murdintinoone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Estonian palgamõrvar
- palgamõrvarone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Finnish salamurhaaja, murhaaja
- salamurhaajaone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- murhaajaany ruthless killer
- tappajaany ruthless killer
French assassin, assassine
- assassinone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- assassineone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- assassinany ruthless killer
- assassineany ruthless killer
- assassinmember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
German Attentäter, Attentäterin
- Attentäterone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- Attentäterinone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- Mörderone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- Mörderinone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- Meuchelmörderany ruthless killer
- Meuchelmörderinany ruthless killer
- Mörderany ruthless killer
- Mörderinany ruthless killer
- Assassinemember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Greek δολοφόνος, δολοφόνος
- δολοφόνος (dolofónos)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- δολοφόνος (dolofónos)any ruthless killer
- ασσασίνος (assasínos)member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Hebrew מִתְנַקֵּשׁ, מִתְנַקֶּשֶׁת
- מִתְנַקֵּשׁ (mitnakésh)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- מִתְנַקֶּשֶׁת (mitnakéshet)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- רוצח (rotzeakh)any ruthless killer
- חשאשין (khashashin)member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Hindi छलघाती, गुप्तघाती
- छलघाती (chalghātī)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- गुप्तघाती (guptaghātī)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- हत्यारा (hatyārā)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- विषकन्या (viṣkanyā)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- गरकट (garkaṭ)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- क़ातिल (qātil)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- ख़ूनी (xūnī)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- आदमकुश (ādamkuś)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Hungarian bérgyilkos, asszaszin
- bérgyilkosone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- asszaszinmember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Icelandic launmorðingi
- launmorðingione who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Irish feallmharfóir
- feallmharfóirone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Italian assassino, assassina
- assassinoone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- assassinaone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- assassinoany ruthless killer
- assassinaany ruthless killer
- assassinomember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Japanese 暗殺者, 刺客
- 暗殺者 (ansatsusha)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- 刺客 (shikyaku)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- キラー (kirā)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Korean 암살자, 자객
- 암살자 (amsalja)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- 자객 (jagaek)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Latin assassīnus, percussor
- assassīnusone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- percussorone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- sīcāriusone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- sīcāriusany ruthless killer
- assassinusmember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Latvian algots slepkava, slepkava
- algots slepkavaone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- slepkavaone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Malay pembunuh upahan
- pembunuh upahanone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Norwegian Bokmål snikmorder, snikmorderske
- snikmorderone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- snikmorderskeone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- attentatmannone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- attentatkvinneone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- lønnmorderone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Persian آدمکش, حشاشین
- آدمکش (âdamkoš)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- حشاشین (haššâšin)member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Polish zamachowiec, zamachowczyni
- zamachowiecone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- zamachowczynione who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- skrytobójcaone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- skrytobójczynione who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- zabójcaany ruthless killer
- zabójczyniany ruthless killer
- zbójczyniany ruthless killer
- asasynmember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Portuguese assassino, assassina
- assassinoone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- assassinaone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- assassinoany ruthless killer
- assassinaany ruthless killer
- assassinomember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Russian уби́йца, ки́ллер
- уби́йца (ubíjca)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- ки́ллер (kíller)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- наёмный уби́йца (najómnyj ubíjca)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- уби́йца (ubíjca)any ruthless killer
- ассаси́н (assasín)member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
- хашаши́н (xašašín)member of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Scottish Gaelic murtair
- murtairany ruthless killer
Slovak atentátnik, atentátnička
- atentátnikone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- atentátničkaone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- vrahany ruthless killer
- asasínmember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Spanish sicario, magnicida
- sicarioone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- magnicidaone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- asesinoany ruthless killer
- asesinaany ruthless killer
- asesinomember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
- assassinmember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Swedish lönnmördare, lönnmörderska
- lönnmördareone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- lönnmörderskaone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- banemanany ruthless killer
- dråpareany ruthless killer
- mördareany ruthless killer
Tagalog manlilingo
- manlilingoone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Thai ผู้สังหาร
- ผู้สังหาร (pûu-sǎng-hǎan)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Turkish suikastçı, katil
- suikastçıone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- katilany ruthless killer
- haşhaşimember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Ukrainian на́йманий уби́вця
- на́йманий уби́вця (nájmanyj ubývcja)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Urdu قَاتِل, آدَمْکُش
- قَاتِل (qātil)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- آدَمْکُش (ādamkuś)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- ہَتْیَارَا (hatyārā)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- خُونِی (xūnī)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- گَرْکَٹ (garkaṭ)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Vietnamese kẻ ám sát, sát thủ
- kẻ ám sátone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- sát thủone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Welsh bradlofrudd, asasin
- bradlofruddone who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- asasinmember of the historical Ismaili Muslim militant group
Yiddish רוצח, מערדער
- רוצח (retseyekh)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
- מערדער (merder)one who intentionally kills a person, especially a professional who kills a public figure
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with assassin
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
assassin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/assassin
MLA
“assassin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/assassin. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “assassin,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/assassin.
Source: assassin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.