What does defenestrate mean?
Defenestrate means to throw someone out of a window, especially as a violent political action. The word can also be used figuratively for removing a person from office or power with sudden, forceful finality. Because the expression evokes an extreme and memorable act, it often carries implications of brutality, dramatic confrontation, or political upheaval. It became particularly associated with the defenestrations of Prague, including the celebrated incident of 1618 that helped precipitate the Thirty Years’ War. Although now uncommon in everyday English, defenestrate remains useful in historical writing, political commentary, and descriptions of events in which opponents were literally expelled from a building. In figurative contexts, it is stronger than words such as dismiss or oust and should generally be reserved for situations portrayed as extreme or final.
verbTo throw someone out of a window, especially as a violent political act. By extension, it can mean to remove someone from office or power with sudden, forceful finality.
- To throw a person out of a window, especially as a violent political act.
- To remove someone from a position or power with sudden, forceful finality.
"During the political uprising, the protestors defenestrated officials from the government building."
"In the political crisis, rioters defenestrated opponents from the upper windows of the government building."
"The reform movement seemed to defenestrate the old regime by removing its leaders from power."
The famous 1618 defenestration of Prague helped trigger the Thirty Years’ War—an extraordinary example of history changing because people were literally thrown out of a window.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of defenestrate
Defenestrate comes from Latin defenestrare, meaning “to throw out of a window.” It was formed from the Latin prefix de-, expressing removal, and fenestra, meaning “window.” The English word dates from the early 17th century, when European political conflicts frequently involved the symbolic and literal throwing of enemies from upper-story windows.
Related word forms
How defenestrate is actually used
This is an uncommon and historically marked word. Its literal use is dramatic and often violent, while figurative use usually suggests an abrupt and final removal from power rather than an ordinary dismissal.