father-slayer

noun

One who kills or murders one's father; a patricide

Meanings

nounfather-slayer (plural father-slayers)

plural father-slayers · alternative fatherslayer · alternative father slayer

  1. uncommonOne who kills or murders one's father; a patricide

    Christy Mahon was the factor which destroyed the equilibrium of the lives of the Flaugherty's and Villagers, because he was an alleged fatherslayer.

    1952, William Daniel Simpson, The Creation of the Role of Christy in John M. Synge's The Playboy of the Western World, and an Analysis of the Acting Problems Involved
    5 more examples

    In these aspects the relationship seems almost to follow an archetype of the relations between immigrant Jewish fathers and their talented sons in modern times. All such sons have been, in a sense, father-slayers.

    1993, Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi, Freud's Moses: Judaism Terminable and Interminable, page 63

    His eyes moved to Calandryll, once more asking an unspoken question. Bracht grinned conspiratorially, answering: “In a while ... He will post Calandryll outlaw, claiming him a father-slayer.”

    2010, Angus Wells, Dark Magic: The Godwars

    “Calm yourself, brother. I'm merely having a drink here, nothing more. I assumed you had similar intentions... I guess you're out hunting though!” Michael bared his runesword. “I am. Prepare for judgment Father-slayer!”

    2014, Marios Koutsoukos, Apolysis: Apocalypse Is Just The Beginning

    The magus called Beast's Bane, who drew down sirithar and so could not be permitted to live, and who was a bastard and a warrior and a father-slayer, was also, impossibly, Stelian.

    2014, Laini Taylor, Dreams of Gods & Monsters

    “And if it is not Roh who gives the orders,” Kithan said, “if it is Hetharu, what shall I say, Man?” “I do not know,” Vanye said. “But a father-slayer will hardly stick at brother-killing; and he will share nothing with you . . . not unless he loves you well.

    2015, C. J. Cherryh, The Complete Morgaine

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see

Origin

  1. Middle Englishfadyr slaer
  2. Englishfather-slayer

From Middle English fadyr slaer, fadur sleer, equivalent to father + slayer.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

father-slayer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/father-slayer

MLA

“father-slayer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/father-slayer. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “father-slayer,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/father-slayer.

Source: father-slayer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.