guillotine

noun

guil·​lo·​tine ˈgi-lə-ˌtēn  ˌgē-(y)ə-ˈtēn  ˈgē-(y)ə-ˌtēn 

1

: a machine for beheading by means of a heavy blade that slides down in vertical guides

2

: a shearing machine or instrument (such as a paper cutter) that in action resembles a guillotine

The paper was trimmed on a guillotine.

3

chiefly British : closure by the imposition of a predetermined time limit on the consideration of specific sections of a bill or portions of other legislative business

guillotine transitive verb

Examples of guillotine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One of them shows men in hooded robes cutting off Bruno’s head in a guillotine. —Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 24 Oct. 2024

Some models have thicker, larger blades or a guillotine cutting action to cut branches up to 2 inches thick. —Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2024

Spann submitted Saint Preux in the first round with a standing guillotine. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024

With little more than a year to run before Windows 10’s unpopular end-of-life and a support guillotine for millions of users caught with unsuitable hardware, the stakes are high to push the massive 70% of Windows users not yet on Windows 11 to make the leap. —Zak Doffman, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from Joseph Guillotin †1814 French physician

First Known Use

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

guillotine

noun

guil·​lo·​tine ˈgil-ə-ˌtēn  ˌgē-(y)ə-ˈtēn 

ˈgē-(y)əˌ-tēn

: a machine for cutting off a person's head by means of a heavy blade sliding in two upright grooved posts

guillotine verb

Etymology

named for Joseph Guillotin 1738–1814 French doctor and public official

Medical Definition

guillotine

noun

guil·​lo·​tine ˈgil-ə-ˌtēn  ˈgē-ə-ˌtēn 

: a surgical instrument that consists of a ring and handle with a knife blade which slides down the handle and across the ring and that is used for cutting out a protruding structure (as a tonsil) capable of being placed in the ring