blood money

noun

Money that is obtained, often by criminal or dishonest means, at the cost of another's life.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounblood money (uncountable)
  1. informaluncountableMoney that is obtained, often by criminal or dishonest means, at the cost of another's life.

    Judas: I don't want your blood money! Caiaphas: Oh, that doesn't matter: our expenses are good. Judas: I don't need your blood money! Annas: But you might as well take it; we think that you should.

    1970, “Damned for All Time / Blood Money”, in Tim Rice (lyrics), Andrew Lloyd Webber (music), Jesus Christ Superstar
  2. uncountableMoney paid (as by a killer or the killer's clan) to the family of a person who has been killed.
Cite this entry
APA

blood money. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blood%20money

MLA

“blood money.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blood%20money. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “blood money,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blood%20money.

Source: blood money on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.