assassin

[ uh-sas-in ]
/ əˈsæs ɪn /

noun

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

Origin of assassin

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

Example sentences from the Web for assassin

British Dictionary definitions for assassin (1 of 2)

assassin
/ (əˈsæsɪn) /

noun

a murderer, esp one who kills a prominent political figure

Word Origin for assassin

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

British Dictionary definitions for assassin (2 of 2)

Assassin
/ (əˈsæsɪn) /

noun

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