German word

hinrichten

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈhɪnˌʁɪçtn̩/

Meaning

  • verbexecute

Example

Der Staat richtet den Täter hin.

The state executes the perpetrator.

Illustration for hinrichten (execute)

More examples

Die Armee drohte, den Rebellenführer hinzurichten.

The army threatened to execute the rebel leader.

Core concept

A state-authorized sentence ending with a condemned person being killed.

Common phrases

  • jemanden hinrichten

    execute someone

  • jemanden öffentlich hinrichten

    publicly execute someone

Similar words

töten: Take a person's life without specifying the circumstances.
umbringen: Kill someone; common in casual, everyday speech.
ermorden: Deliberately kill someone in a planned criminal act.
exekutieren: Officially carry out an execution under judicial or military procedure.

Definition in German

Einen verurteilten Menschen auf staatliche oder richterliche Anordnung töten.

Word origin

Hinrichten is a separable compound of hin and richten, which comes from Old High German rihtan, meaning to set straight or order.

Usage tips

  • In the present tense, the prefix separates as in Der Staat richtet den Täter hin, while the past participle is hingerichtet.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word