What does defenestrate mean?
Defenestrate is a verb that means to throw someone or something out of a window, typically as a form of punishment or protest. This word has a long history, dating back to medieval times when it was used as a form of punishment for treason. In modern times, defenestrate is often used in literary or historical contexts to add a sense of drama or violence to a scene. It can have a strong connotation of chaos or disorder, and is often used to describe situations where someone is being thrown out of a window as a form of punishment or protest. Defenestrate is a formal or literary word and is not commonly used in everyday conversation. However, it can be a useful word to know for those who want to add a sense of drama or history to their writing or speech.
verbTo throw someone or something out of a window, typically as a form of punishment or protest.
- To throw someone or something out of a window
"The protesters defenestrated the corrupt politician by throwing him out of the city hall window."
"The protesters defenestrated the corrupt politician by throwing him out of the city hall window."
"In medieval times, defenestration was a common form of punishment for treason."
The plural form of defenestrate is used when referring to multiple instances of throwing someone or something out of a window.
"The protesters defenestrated several corrupt politicians by throwing them out of the city hall window."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of defenestrate
The word defenestrate comes from the Latin 'fenestra', meaning window, and the Old French 'defenestrer', meaning to throw out of a window. The word has been used in English since the 15th century and has a long history of use in literary and historical contexts.
How defenestrate is actually used
Defenestrate is a formal or literary word and is often used in historical or fictional contexts. It can have a strong connotation of violence or chaos.