# child killing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 6, 1999, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416 "1999-10-06T21:59:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![the\_feral\_eye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/58f4c7/32.png) [@the\_feral\_eye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_feral_eye)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/1 "1999-10-06T21:59:00Z")
infanticide, patricide, matricide, etc, these I know (notionally, not in practice !)but what is the word for killing one’s child? ---
**Author:** ![eden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@eden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eden)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/2 "1999-10-06T22:00:00Z")
Is this a trick question? ---
**Author:** ![the\_feral\_eye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/58f4c7/32.png) [@the\_feral\_eye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_feral_eye)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/3 "1999-10-06T22:08:00Z")
No, I’m writing a book on children, who at the age of 20+, won’t leave home. So the word that eludes me is appearing as a viable option. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/4 "1999-10-06T22:11:00Z")
Deadbeaticide? * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/5 "1999-10-06T22:26:00Z")
## Can’t find it in my dictionary but _filicide_ would seem to fit the pattern. “If you had manifested _fatigue_ upon noticing that you had been an ass, that would have been logical, that would have been rational; whereas it seems to me that to manifest _surprise_ was to be again an ass.” Mark Twain _Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc_ ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/6 "1999-10-06T23:08:00Z")
Ummm, how about first degree murder? * * * Some mornings it just doesn’t seem worth it to gnaw through the leather straps. [http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/7 "1999-10-07T01:52:00Z")
Nah. It would be justifiable homicide. I’m pretty sure that **pluto** gave the correct answer. * * * Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![Temujin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Temujin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temujin)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/8 "1999-10-07T06:58:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Deadbeaticide? What have you got against children? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/9 "1999-10-07T13:54:00Z")
He was referring to the previous post. Not children per se, but “kids” over the age of 21 who still live with their parents, don’t pay rent, empty out the fridge, expect to have their laundry done, and act basically like they’re still 14 years old and Mom and Pop are responsible for their care. Oh, except that they’re allowed to have sex in the back bedroom. “Deadbeaticide” sounds good to me. Also “justifiable homicide,” as tomandebb says. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/10 "1999-10-07T14:04:00Z")
Of course, if the child keeps emptying out the pantry, it could come under the heading of “shelf defense.” ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/11 "1999-10-07T14:10:00Z")
Thanks for coming to my defense, Uke… Temujin, learn to read! * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/12 "1999-10-07T15:36:00Z")
Any time, big guy. Any chance of a promotion from Imp to Lesser Demon? ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/13 "1999-10-07T20:13:00Z")
_yawn_ The word you are looking for is “infanticide”. It means to kill one’s child, especially if one is a mother whom the child has driven insane. _not making this up_ ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/14 "1999-10-07T20:57:00Z")
Bouviers Law 1856 Edition ## INFANTICIDE - the murder of a newborn infant. To commit infanticide the child must be wholly born. The Vocabulary of Loss: A Suicide, Grief, and Ethics Glossary FILICIDE- homicide of one or more offspring. [http://www.onelook.com/](http://www.onelook.com/) This is a very nice on-line dictionary. * * * “The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.” - _Humphrey Bogart_ ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/15 "1999-10-07T21:08:00Z")
Ukelele Ike wrote: > [@](#): > > act basically like they’re still 14 years old and Mom and Pop are responsible for their care. Oh, except that they’re allowed to have sex in the back bedroom. You mean, you _weren’t_ allowed to have sex in the back bedroom when you were fourteen? Gah. Goddamned Victorian parenting practices. * * * The truth, as always, is more complicated than that. ---
**Author:** ![Temujin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Temujin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temujin)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/16 "1999-10-08T04:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Temujin, learn to read! Gee, having a bad day in hell today, Satan? I thought you had a sense of humor. My mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/17 "1999-10-08T04:54:00Z")
Well, since I’m not the only person who thought you were serious, methinks it’s your comedy at fault and not my perception of it. But thank you for playing! We have some nice parting gifts, including a years supply of Turtle Wax and Samsonite luggage! ---
**Author:** ![Temujin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Temujin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temujin)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/18 "1999-10-08T08:30:00Z")
Whatever. You can keep your parting gifts AND your parting insults, thank you. The problem is not with my ability to read, or with my comedy (or with whatever you decide to criticize in response to THIS post). The problem is that I thought you enjoyed getting ribbed a little bit. As I said, my mistake. Maybe if we start all over from the top: > [@](#): > > Deadbeaticide? Yes, that would be a pithy book title. If one considers it as a response to the OP, however, the implication is amusing. Hope that’s delicate enough for you. ---
**Author:** ![lvick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d07c76/32.png) [@lvick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lvick)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/19 "1999-10-08T11:48:00Z")
Well I cast my vote for pedicide, this would include non-infants, non-offspring, Larry ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416/20 "1999-10-08T13:10:00Z")
Unfortunately, pedicide would take the Greek prefix (from _paedo-_, child) and all the “-cide” words are Latin-based (from _caedere_, to cut down or kill. A general child-killing, regardless of family connections, would be puercide. Generally, we don’t mix Latin and Greek stems to form words. (There are scholars who believe that we would never have had to suffer **My Mother the Car** or **Small Wonder** or **Cop Rock** if Philo had simply had the sense to call his invention “telebalor” or “proculvision” or some other word that used only Greek or only Latin roots instead of the mixed-root “television.” He jinxed his own creation.) * * * Tom~ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-killing/4416.md?page=2)