killer

A2 Topic:People & Society

US /ˈkɪlɚ/ UK /ˈkɪlə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Freq #938

Meanings

1

noun
A person who kills another person.

The police are searching for the killer.
2

noun
Something that causes death.

Heart disease is the biggest killer in the country.
3

noun
Something very difficult or exhausting (informal).

That final exam was a real killer.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · something that causes death. cause of death

More homicidehomicider

Opposites

healer

Word family

Forms killers

Derived forms baby-killerboner-killerchrist-killercop-killergiant-killergiantkillergodkillerhunter-killerkillerballkilleresskillerishkillerly

Related forms anusvaracandrabinducriminal fighter kill killing mercenary soldiersukunterroristvisargawarrior

Appears in

Phrases (6)

See all

catch a killer
to apprehend someone who has committed murder

Verb + noun
serial killer
a person who murders multiple victims over a period of time, typically with a signature method

Adjective + noun
hunt a killer
to actively search for a murderer who has not yet been caught

Verb + noun
identify a killer
to determine who is responsible for a murder

Verb + noun
hired killer
a person who is paid by someone else to commit murder

Adjective + noun
convict a killer
to find a murderer guilty in a court of law

Verb + noun

Etymology

From Middle English killer, kyller. By surface analysis, kill + -er.

killer Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

People & Society Register & Style

External links

# killer

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɪlɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɪlə(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 938

## Meanings
1. A person who kills another person.
2. Something that causes death.
3. Something very difficult or exhausting (informal).

## Examples
- The police are searching for the killer.
- Heart disease is the biggest killer in the country.
- That final exam was a real killer.

## Synonyms
- homicide
- homicider

## Antonyms
- healer

## Derived Forms
- baby-killer
- boner-killer
- christ-killer
- cop-killer
- giant-killer
- giantkiller
- godkiller
- hunter-killer
- killerball
- killeress
- killerish
- killerly

## Related Forms
- anusvara
- candrabindu
- criminal
- fighter
- kill
- killing
- mercenary
- soldier
- sukun
- terrorist
- visarga
- warrior

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: killer

## Etymology
From Middle English killer, kyller. By surface analysis, kill + -er.

## AI Etymology
Killer comes from Middle English killer, kyller. By surface analysis, kill + -er. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Register & Style

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