guillotine

/ɡɪˈlɒtɪn/

Definitions

1. noun

a machine with a heavy blade that drops to behead people as a form of execution, especially in France during the Revolution.

“The guillotine was used to execute many nobles and commoners alike during the Reign of Terror.”

2. noun

a device or machine with a falling blade that severs or cuts off something.

“The guillotine used in the bakery cuts through thick ropes of dough with ease.”

Synonyms

  • beheader
  • decapitator
  • executioner

Antonyms

  • conservator
  • preserver