assassin

[uh-sas-in]

noun

1. a murderer, especially one who kills a politically prominent person for fanatical or monetary reasons.

2. (initial capital letter),  one of an order of Muslim fanatics, active in Persia and Syria from about 1090 to 1272, whose chief object was to assassinate Crusaders.

Assassin

¹

/ əˈsæsɪn /

noun

1. a member of a secret sect of Muslim fanatics operating in Persia and Syria from about 1090 to 1256, murdering their victims, usually Crusaders

assassin

²

/ əˈsæsɪn /

noun

1. a murderer, esp one who kills a prominent political figure

Word History and Origins

Origin of Assassin¹

1525–35; < Medieval Latin assassinī (plural) < Arabic ḥashshāshīn eaters of hashish

Word History and Origins

Origin of Assassin¹

C16: from Medieval Latin assassīnus, from Arabic hashshāshīn, plural of hashshāsh one who eats _hashish

Example Sentences

Ziva, whose pre-NCIS employment was as an assassin for the Israeli secret service — perhaps not the best job for a TV heroine to have on her resume nowadays, but it’s not an issue here — has hung on to an arsenal and plural safe houses.

From Los Angeles Times

I certainly wasn’t supposed to survive an assassin’s bullet — but by the grace of the almighty God, I did.

From Salon

Would-be assassin Aimee Betro, from West Allis in Wisconsin, flew into the country as part of a plot to attack a British family in Birmingham in 2019, before going on the run for nearly five years.

From BBC

Because of their courtship — which takes a few twists, owing to Elizabeth’s gossipy meddling — William is nearby when an assassin infiltrates the Russells’ mansion and shoots George.

From Salon

The assassin concealed himself behind an ice machine in a crowded kitchen pantry of the Ambassador Hotel with an eight-shot revolver.

From Los Angeles Times