roadkill

R1O1A1D2K5I1L1L1
UK/ˈɹəʊdˌkɪl/Canada, US/ˈɹoʊdˌkɪl/

noun

The killing of an animal by a road vehicle.

Similar
road pizza
OriginEnglish kill ← Dutch ki →
UncommonScrabble 13
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Meanings

nounroadkill (usually uncountable, plural roadkills)

plural roadkills · alternative road kill

  1. USuncountableusuallyautomotiveThe killing of an animal by a road vehicle.
    1. USuncountableusuallyautomotiveA successful kill in a deathmatch game by hitting an opponent with a road vehicle. A point or score (when considered collectively) gained by successfully killing opponents by a road vehiclein a deathmatch game.
  2. USuncountableusuallyautomotiveThe animal or animals so killed.

    The van was heading straight for her and travelling faster and faster by the second. Zoe had to do something or she would be roadkill.

    2012, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Ratburger, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN

    Synonyms: road pizza

  3. broadlyuncountableusuallyA helpless victim.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe animal or animals so killed.

Similar
road pizza

Origin

  1. Englishroad
  2. Dutchki
  3. Englishkill
  4. Englishroadkill

From road + kill.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish auton alle jäänyt eläin
  • auton alle jäänyt eläinanimal killed by a road vehicle
German überfahrenes Tier
  • überfahrenes Tieranimal killed by a road vehicle
Cite this entry
APA

roadkill. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/roadkill

MLA

“roadkill.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/roadkill. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “roadkill,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/roadkill.

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