decollation

From the Latin decollatus, from de + collum.

decollation (countable and uncountable, plural decollations)

1. The act of beheading someone.
   • 1669–1696 (date written), John Aubrey, “Deborah Aubrey”, in Andrew Clark, editor, ‘Brief Lives,’ Chiefly of Contemporaries, […], volume I (A–H), Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, published 1898, →OCLC, page 34:

     She was borne Jan. 29ᵗʰ, morning, scil. the day before the anniversary-day of the king's [Charles I of England] decollation.

   • 1691, [Anthony Wood], Athenæ Oxonienses. An Exact History of All the Writers and Bishops who have had Their Education in the Most Ancient and Famous University of Oxford from the Fifteenth Year of King Henry the Seventh, Dom. 1500, to the End of the Year 1690. […], volume II (Completing the Whole Work), London: […] Tho[mas] Bennet […], →OCLC, column 765:

     His Majeſty K. Ch. the firſt; to whoſe body after his decollation in the latter end of Jan. 1648 he put his hands to open and embalm, and when that was done, he ſewed his head to his body

   • 1912, J. D. M. Ford, “Spain”, in Charles G[eorge] Herbermann, Edward A[loysius] Pace, Condé B[enoist] Pallen, Thomas J[oseph] Shahan, John J[oseph] Wynne, editors, The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church, volume XIV (Simony–Tournely), New York, N.Y.: Robert Appleton Company, →OCLC, page 178, column 1:

     The epoch of the Martyrs here [in Cordova] began with the decollation of the priest Perfecto, in 850.

2. A picture of a decapitation, especially of the head of St John the Baptist on a charger.
3. The festival of the Baptist, celebrated on 29 August.

• decollate

• collationed