occīdō
In Latin, 'slay' is translated as occīdō. Wiktionary also lists interficiō and necō.
Meaning: to kill, murder (verb)
Ways to say it
| Latin |
|---|
| occīdō |
| interficiō |
| necō |
| lētō |
Which one should you use?
occīdō carries the image of 'cutting down'. interficiō is the most common general word for killing in prose, while necō often means killing without a weapon.
How does it change in a sentence?
The dictionary form (infinitive) of the verb occīdō is occīdere. If you wish to say 'I killed' or 'I have slain', use the first-person singular perfect indicative form occīdī.
Did you know?
- The Latin verb lētō is the ancestor of the English word 'lethal', moving from an action of slaying to a quality of being deadly.
Examples in context
- Legionem hostium interficere.To slay the enemy army.
Example conversation
Two soldiers discuss a battle strategy.
- ClaudiaNunc occīdō regem!Now I slay the king!
- LuciusTū es fortis, Claudia.You are brave, Claudia.
- ClaudiaVincēmus hanc pugnam.We will win this fight.
- LuciusIte et occīdite hostēs.Go and slay the enemies.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slay” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
