electrocution

/ɪˌlɛktɹəˈkjuːʃən/

Etymology

Blend of electro- + execution. By surface analysis, electrocute + -ion. Coined in the US around 1888, in relation to the introduction of the electric chair (see quotes).

Why this word is great

ELECTROCUTION — [Noun] The act of causing death or severe injury by electric shock, whether intentional (as in execution) or accidental. A portmanteau of electro- (from Greek ēlektron, "amber," relating to electricity) and execution (from Latin exsequi, "to follow out, carry out"), coined in the US circa 1888–1889 in the context of the electric chair. Unlike "electric shock" (which encompasses any current’s passage through the body) or "execution" (a neutral term for state-sanctioned killing), electrocution carries the grim specificity of voltage as agent—deliberate or indifferent. It is the flicker of a faulty socket, the blue-white arc of a downed power line, the convulsive stillness of a body strapped to oak and copper—a word that reminds us how easily the invisible force sustaining modern life becomes the instrument of its end.

noun

Deliberate execution by electric shock, usually involving an electric chair.“A correspondent of The American has taken exception to the use, in a recent paragraph in this column, of the word “electrocution.” The writer of the paragraph referred to is conscious that the word, like other etymological hybrids, lacks euphony and consistency; but during the formative period succeeding the introduction of a new idea not yet provided with a verbal exponent, the safest course is t”
The accidental death or suicide by electric shock.“The faulty wiring caused the unfortunate worker’s accidental electrocution.”
A severe electric shock, whether fatal or not.