ermorden
Translation
to murder, to assassinate
Examples
Der Täter hat den Zeugen ermordet.
The perpetrator murdered the witness.
Er wurde aus politischen Gründen ermordet.
He was assassinated for political reasons.
Grammar Patterns
((sb.)) to murder sb. The perpetrator murdered the witness.
Similar Words
Synonyms: töten (to kill), umbringen (to kill). 'ermorden' is stronger and implies malice, unlike the more general 'töten'.
Etymology
From the prefix 'er-' (indicating completion or a final state) and 'morden' (to murder). It implies a deliberate, malicious act.
Memory Tips
Sounds very similar to the English 'murder'. The 'er-' prefix intensifies the action, making it a 'thorough' murder.