euthanasia
noun
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Where does euthanasia come from?
Euthanasia is a mass noun (or noncount noun), that is, a noun used only in the singular form.
The word comes from the Greek euthanatos, which means “easy death.” In English, euthanasia has been used in exactly this sense since the early seventeenth century, when Francis Bacon described the phenomenon as “after the fashion and semblance of a kindly & pleasant sleepe.” Nowadays, the word usually refers to the means of attaining such a death.
Examples of euthanasia in a Sentence
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
The statement also described Miranda’s Rescue as a no-kill shelter, meaning animals are not euthanized simply to free up space, but Miranda acknowledged that euthanasia is sometimes necessary.
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Doha Madani,
NBC news,
28 June 2026
Bud, Dew Drop and Bloom were brought in to the training center by Wags and Walks, a non-profit which works to reduce euthanasia in local shelters and encourage the adoption of rescue dogs.
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Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
25 June 2026
At the time, it was expected that there would be five to 10 cases of euthanasia involving children each year.
—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for euthanasia
Cite this Entry
“Euthanasia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/euthanasia. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
euthanasia
noun
called also mercy killing
Medical Definition
euthanasia
noun
called also mercy killing
Legal Definition
euthanasia
noun
called also mercy killing
