euthanasia

n. the act of ending the life of a person or animal who is very sick and in pain, so they do not suffer anymore.

n. the practice of intentionally ending a life to relieve pain and suffering, often in the context of terminal illness. Uncountable in general usage.

“The country is currently debating whether to make euthanasia legal for patients with no hope of recovery.”

“Ethical debates surrounding euthanasia often focus on the tension between the sanctity of life and the right to personal autonomy in terminal cases.”

Formal · Technical

n. the act of painlessly killing an animal that is very old or badly injured.

n. the humane termination of an animal's life, typically performed by a veterinarian to end incurable distress.

“The vet suggested euthanasia because the dog was in too much pain to walk.”

“The shelter had to consider euthanasia for the injured horse after the surgeons determined the leg fracture was irreparable.”

Technical

n. a word used in history, especially by the Nazis, to hide the murder of disabled people.

n. a euphemistic term used historically, specifically within the Third Reich, to refer to the systematic killing of those deemed a liability to society.

“In history class, we learned how the regime used the word euthanasia to hide their crimes.”

“Historians distinguish between modern medical ethics and the state-sponsored 'euthanasia' programmes that targeted vulnerable populations during the mid-twentieth century.”

Formal · Archaic