murder (merder)

[Also and more orig. murther (now nearly obsolete); ME. murth, slaughter, destruction: see death, murder, homicide, destruction, mortal murth ), = OS. morth = OFries. morth, mord = D. moord = MLG. LG. mort = OHG. mord, MHG. mort, G. mord = Icel. mordh Sw. Dan. mord, murder, = L. mor(t-)s, death, Lith. smer tis, death, akin to Gr. βροτός, mortal, W. marw = Bret. marv, death, L. mor i, die (> mortuus, dead), Skt. ✔ mar, die: see mort1, mort2, mor tal, etc., immortal, ambrosia, amrita, etc.] 1. Homicide with malice aforethought; as legally defined, the unlawful killing of a human = murailler,