What does slaying mean?
Slaying is an English word with two principal uses. As a noun, it names the act of killing a person or other living being, normally with a violent or otherwise disturbing implication; “the slaying of…” is especially common in reports, historical writing, and discussion of conflict. As a gerund or present participle of slay, it can also appear directly in a verb phrase, as in “They are slaying enemies,” though this form now sounds literary or archaic in many contexts. In modern informal English, “slaying” and the more common verb “slaying it” can mean performing with exceptional power, confidence, or popularity. That figurative sense is frequent in commentary about music, entertainment, fashion, and games, and can carry a playful, emphatic tone. The violent literal sense dominates formal and legal contexts, so readers should distinguish praiseworthy “slaying a song” from the grim report of a killing. The word is understood in British and American English, although ordinary alternatives such as “killing” and “murder” may sound less dramatic or less archaic depending on the context.
The act of killing a person or other living being, especially violently; a killing or murder.
"The trial concerned the slaying of a nightclub owner."
The noun is standard in British and American English and commonly appears in legal, journalistic, and historical contexts.
To kill a person or other living beings violently.
"The ancient tale tells of warriors slaying a fierce dragon."
As a verb form, slaying is now chiefly literary or archaic, though it survives in figurative expressions such as “slaying a song.”
The plural is grammatically correct but uncommon; the singular “slaying” is normally preferred.
"The series recounts several slayings that remained unexplained for decades."
Before it came to mean “kill,” slay could simply mean “strike”—a sense still visible in the German cognate schlagen.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does slaying come from?
The base verb comes from Old English slean, also recorded as slæn, meaning “to strike” or “to kill,” and is inherited from Proto-Germanic *slahaną. The modern form slaying combines the base with the productive English suffix -ing, allowing it to function as a gerund, a present participle, and a noun for the act. German schlagen, Dutch slaan, and Old Norse slá preserve the same Germanic ancestry, although their modern meanings have broadened to include striking, beating, or defeating.
Related word forms
How slaying is actually used
In its literal sense, slaying has a violent and often formal or literary register; “killing” is more neutral, while “murder” specifies an intentional unlawful killing. Its figurative use as “performing impressively” is informal and especially common in entertainment, music, fashion, and gaming commentary.