damnatio ad bestias

noun

A form of ancient Roman capital punishment in which the condemned was killed by wild animals, usually lions.

OriginLatin [Term?] →
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Meanings

noundamnatio ad bestias (uncountable)
  1. historicaluncountableA form of ancient Roman capital punishment in which the condemned was killed by wild animals, usually lions.

Origin

  1. Latin[Term?]
  2. Englishdamnatio ad bestias

Latin [Term?] (literally “condemnation to beasts”)

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“damnatio ad bestias.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/damnatio%20ad%20bestias. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

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

Source: damnatio ad bestias on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.