What does uxoricidal mean?
Uxoricide means the killing of one's wife, and uxoricidal is the adjective form used to describe an act, impulse, theme, or other matter connected with that killing. The word is especially associated with narratives in which a husband murders his wife, though it can also apply in psychological, legal, or criminological discussion. Because its meaning is unusually specific and grave, it is generally reserved for formal, literary, or analytical contexts rather than casual conversation. Related forms include the noun uxoricide, which denotes the killer, and uxorous, an unrelated but etymologically related adjective meaning devoted to one's wife. Uxoricide is also the more readily recognized member of this small word family. Knowing uxoricidal provides useful vocabulary for discussing fiction, real-life violence, and the precise relationship between an act and the person responsible for it.
adjectiveRelating to or involving the killing of one's wife. It can characterize an act, impulse, tendency, or narrative centered on such a killing.
- Relating to the killing of one's wife by one's husband.
"The novel examines the psychological roots of uxoricidal violence."
"The psychiatrist testified that the defendant's uxoricidal impulse was rooted in perceived betrayal."
"The crime novel's central concern is its uxoricidal plot and the motives behind it."
One spouse, one fate, one rare adjective: uxoricidal turns the killing of a wife into a linguistic category.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of uxoricidal
Uxoricide is an English formation based on Latin uxor, meaning “wife,” together with elements related to Latin caedere, “to cut” or “to kill.” The adjective uxoricidal was formed within the same word family to express a connection with the killing of a wife. Its relatives include uxorious, from the same Latin noun, and uxoricide, which names the person responsible for such a killing.
How uxoricidal is actually used
This is a rare, formal word used chiefly in literary, psychological, and criminological contexts. Its extreme meaning makes it unsuitable for ordinary, non-serious prose.
Easily confused with uxoricidal
Uxoricidal is an adjective describing something related to the killing of one's wife, whereas uxoricide is a noun for the person who commits that killing.