killing

The word “killing” means an act in which someone or something is killed. In plain terms, the act of causing death; informally, also a big financial win, or something hilariously funny.

“Killing” is pronounced KIHL-ihng (/ˈkɪl.ɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “killing” used in a sentence: “The killing shocked the small town.”

Depending on how it is used, “killing” can be a noun and an adjective.

The word “killing” comes from Middle English. From Middle English "kyllyng," the noun/adjective form of "kill.".

“Killing” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Killing” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an act in which someone or something is killed.

Killing is the neutral, general term for causing death, and it may be lawful, accidental, or unavoidable — as in self-defence, warfare, or an accident. Murder is a narrower legal term: the unlawful, deliberate killing of a person. Every murder is a killing, but many killings are not murders, because they lack the unlawful intent that defines the crime.

No. Whether a killing is a crime depends on law and circumstance. Many are treated as lawful — for example, deaths in self-defence, in war under the rules of conflict, or by lawful execution where it applies. The word itself is neutral and simply names the act; on its own it does not imply wrongdoing.

This is a separate, informal sense unrelated to death. To 'make a killing' means to earn a large amount of money very quickly, often through a single lucrative deal or a sudden market gain — 'they made a killing selling the shares.' Here 'a killing' simply means a big financial success, with no violent meaning at all.