French word

bourreau

Pronunciation

IPA/buʁo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounexecutioner

Example

Le bourreau a exécuté le condamné ce matin.

The executioner put the condemned man to death this morning.

Illustration for bourreau (executioner)

More examples

Elle a décrit son ex comme un bourreau moral.

She described her ex as an emotional tormentor.

Core concept

A harsh figure who inflicts pain under an official role or through relentless personal behavior.

Common phrases

  • bourreau moral

    emotional tormentor

  • bourreau des cœurs

    heartbreaker

Similar words

assassin: A criminal who deliberately planned and killed someone.
meurtrier: A person who has killed another person.
tortionnaire: A person who tortures others and causes them severe suffering.

Definition in French

Personne chargée d'exécuter une peine de mort ; par extension, personne qui inflige des souffrances physiques ou morales.

Word origin

The noun bourreau developed from Old French bourrel, which designated an executioner before acquiring broader meanings linked to inflicted suffering.

Usage tips

  • Bourreau is masculine, so the standard article is un, as in un bourreau; its figurative use often carries strong condemnation.

Other meanings

  • torturernoun
  • tormentornoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word