n.
Pronunciation: ə - ' sa-s ə n
Function: noun
Etymology: Medieval Latin assassinus, from Arabic ḥ ashsh ā sh ī n, plural of ḥ ashsh ā sh worthless person, literally, hashish user, from hash ī sh hashish
Date: circa 1520
1 capitalized : a member of a Shia Muslim sect who at the time of the Crusades was sent out on a suicidal mission to murder prominent enemies
2 : a person who commits murder especially : one who murders a politically important person either for hire or from fanatical motives