Meanings
plural hospiticides
- countablerareuncountableOne who kills his guest or host.
Armed with the weapon which was destined to destroy himself, Imnaz sprang down the ladder, — found the door, and, emerging from the abode of crime, sought a more secure resting place, leaving his hostess to discover, with return of day, in whose blood were imbrued the hands of an hospiticide.
1837, Edward Smallwood, Manuella, the Executioner’s Daughter ; A Story of Madrid, volume II, pages 275–276 - countablerareuncountableThe act of a guest killing his host or vice versa, or an instance thereof.
Anniversary of the Massacre of the Prado — the Defeat of Quesada — Murderous Reprisals — Hospiticides.
1837, Edward Smallwood, Manuella, the Executioner’s Daughter ; A Story of Madrid, volume II, page 261
Origin
- Latinhospiticīda
- Englishhospiticide
From Latin hospiticīda or *hospiticīdium, from hospes (“host, guest”) + -cīda (“killer”); equivalent to + -cide.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
hospiticide. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hospiticide
“hospiticide.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hospiticide. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hospiticide,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hospiticide.
Source: hospiticide on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.