Selbstmord

German

Etymology

selbst (“self”) +‎ Mord (“murder”). Compare Dutch zelfmoord, English self-murder.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈzɛlps(t)ˌmɔʁt/
  • Audio(file)

Noun

Selbstmord m (genitive Selbstmords or Selbstmordes, plural Selbstmorde)

  1. suicide

Usage notes
  • Selbstmord is the general and commonest word for “suicide”. The synonyms given below are preferred in certain contexts in order to avoid the negative moral judgment implied by the component word Mord (“murder”).

Declension
Declension of Selbstmord
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Selbstmord die Selbstmorde
genitive eines des Selbstmordes,
Selbstmords		 der Selbstmorde
dative einem dem Selbstmord,
Selbstmorde1		 den Selbstmorden
accusative einen den Selbstmord die Selbstmorde
1Now uncommon, see notes

Synonyms
  • Selbsttötung
  • Suizid (chiefly medical, officialese)
  • Freitod (euphemistic)

Derived terms

Further reading
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