euthanasia
Americannoun
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Also called mercy killing. the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, a person or animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition.
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painless death.
noun
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Proposals to make euthanasia legal in the United States have inspired heated debate.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of euthanasia
1640–50; < New Latin < Greek euthanasía an easy death, equivalent to eu- eu- + thánat ( os ) death + -ia -y 3
Explanation
Euthanasia is the act of causing a person's or animal's death, without inflicting pain, to end suffering, like when a veterinarian performs euthanasia on a dog that is in great pain and has no chance of recovery. To correctly pronounce euthanasia, remember that it sounds like "youth in Asia." Euthanasia is sometimes referred to as mercy killing, meant to spare a living thing a slow, painful death. Originally a Greek word, euthanasia means "an easy or happy death," as eu- means "good" and thanatos means "death." The use of the word as "legally sanctioned mercy killing" is first recorded in English in 1869.
Vocabulary lists containing euthanasia
National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 2
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The Martian Chronicles
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The Hot Zone
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Among the challenges Amster will face are a rising euthanasia rate.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
Dychtwald also expects that active and passive euthanasia might become openly discussed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
Spain is one of a handful of European countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, that have passed laws allowing euthanasia to be carried out by physicians.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
This is the first instance of court-approved passive euthanasia - the act of withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment - in India.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
“Even the agreement for euthanasia if final decision on such a step is necessary.”
From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
