deathtrap

D2E1A1T1H4T1R1A1P3
UK/ˈdɛθtɹæp/

noun

An extremely dangerous location, structure, or device.

“Route 9 is a deathtrap; they should at least put up guard rails.”

UncommonScrabble 15
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Meanings

noundeathtrap (plural deathtraps)

plural deathtraps · alternative death trap · alternative death-trap

  1. figurativelyinformalAn extremely dangerous location, structure, or device.

    Route 9 is a deathtrap; they should at least put up guard rails.

    1 more example

    Dude, your car is a deathtrap! Get the brakes and the steering fixed.

  2. literatureA plot device where a villain in a story puts a hero in an elaborate dangerous situation for the purposes of attempting a sadistic murder.

Origin

From death + trap.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan trencacolls
  • trencacollsextremely dangerous location, etc.
Chinese Mandarin 死地
  • 死地 (sǐdì)extremely dangerous location, etc.
Danish dødsfælde
  • dødsfældeextremely dangerous location, etc.
Estonian surmalõks
  • surmalõksextremely dangerous location, etc.
Finnish surmanloukku, kuolemanloukku
  • surmanloukkuextremely dangerous location, etc.
  • kuolemanloukkuextremely dangerous location, etc.
German Todesfalle
  • Todesfalleextremely dangerous location, etc.
Greek σκοτώστρα
  • σκοτώστρα (skotóstra)extremely dangerous location, etc.
Irish sáinn bháis
  • sáinn bháisextremely dangerous location, etc.
Japanese 死地
  • 死地 (shichi)extremely dangerous location, etc.
Norwegian Bokmål dødsfelle
  • dødsfelleextremely dangerous location, etc.
Cite this entry
APA

deathtrap. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deathtrap

MLA

“deathtrap.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deathtrap. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “deathtrap,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deathtrap.

Source: deathtrap on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.