v.
Pronunciation: di- ' ka-p ə - ˌ t ā t, d ē -
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form: -tat · ed ; -tat · ing
Etymology: Late Latin decapitatus, past participle of decapitare, from Latin de- + capit-, caput head ― more at HEAD
Date: circa 1611
: to cut off the head of : BEHEAD
– de · cap · i · ta · tion \ - ˌ ka-p ə - ' t ā -sh ə n \ noun
– de · cap · i · ta · tor \ - ' ka-p ə - ˌ t ā -t ə r \ noun