What does maiming mean?
Maiming means causing severe bodily injury, especially injury that leaves a person permanently disabled, disfigured, or unable to use part of the body. The term is considerably more serious than the ordinary word “injure,” because it implies enduring physical damage rather than a temporary hurt. It may describe the consequences of violence, accidents, warfare, natural disasters, or dangerous machinery, and as a noun it can refer to the act of inflicting such harm. Although “mangle” can overlap with “maim” when describing the destruction of a body or object, “maim” gives particular emphasis to a lasting injury to a person. The word is therefore forceful and often emotionally charged. In legal and public discourse, it can also convey the idea that an act was brutal enough to destroy a person’s normal physical functioning. Its historical connection with bodily mutilation makes it one of the most uncompromising words in English for describing severe physical harm.
To injure someone so severely that they are left permanently disabled, disfigured, or seriously impaired.
"The machinery badly maimed the young engineer."
The verb is transitive and strongly conveys permanent physical damage.
The act of injuring a person in a way that causes lasting disability or disfigurement.
"The prosecution characterized the attack as an act of maiming."
This nominal use is formal and is especially common in legal, journalistic, and literary contexts.
The plural is grammatically possible but uncommon; the singular form is normally preferred even when several acts are discussed.
"The report documented the maimings of several victims of the conflict."
To maim is not merely to hurt someone: it is to injure them in a way that may alter their body and their life forever.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does maiming come from?
The word comes through Middle English from Anglo-French maier, meaning “to mangle or injure,” which was borrowed from Medieval Latin mettere, “to mutilate.” Medieval Latin mettere was in turn associated with Greek methein, “to cut off.” The related modern word “mayhem” developed from an earlier form connected with a person being maimed and later came to mean widespread disorder or destruction.
Related word forms
How maiming is actually used
The word is strongly associated with vivid or distressing descriptions of bodily injury. As a noun, it is more formal and may occur in legal, journalistic, or literary contexts.
Easily confused with maiming
Mangle can mean to twist, crush, or otherwise ruin something, while maim more specifically implies severe bodily injury that causes lasting disability or disfigurement.