euthanasia
/ˌjuːθəˈneɪzɪə
/noun [mass noun]
The painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma.Once the disease reaches this stage, euthanasia or mercy killing is the only recourse....
- This separation has not resulted in moral desensitisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia.
- Forty per cent of the doctors said they had been asked by patients to assist in their suicide or in euthanasia.
Synonyms
mercy killing, assisted suicide, physician-assisted suicide;
merciful release, happy release
rare quietus
Origin
Early 17th century (in the sense 'easy death'): from Greek, from eu 'well' + thanatos 'death'.
Rhymes
- not bear thinking about
- not before time
- not be fussy
- not-being
- (not) be myself
- not be oneself
- (not) be ourselves
- not be someone's first rodeo (or not be someone's first time at the rodeo)
- not best pleased
- (not) be themselves
- not be worth a damn
- (not) be yourself
- not blink an eye
- not breathe a word
- not but what
- not by a long chalk
- (not) by a long shot
- not care (or give) a hang
- not care (or give) a hoot (or two hoots)
- not care (or give) a straw (or two straws)
- notch
- notch baby
- notchback
- notch bar test
- notch-brittle