spree killer
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spree killer
A person who, in a state of seemingly indiscriminate rage, attacks and kills or tries to kill several people in a public place.
Die Polizei konnte den Amokläufer nach kurzer Zeit stellen.
The police were able to apprehend the spree killer after a short time.
The word is made up of 'Amok' (amok) and 'Läufer' (runner). 'Amok' originally comes from Malay and describes a kind of blind rage, and a 'Läufer' is a person who runs.
Der Begriff „Amok“ wird auch im Deutschen verwendet, um einen Zustand extremer Aggression zu beschreiben.
The term 'Amok' is also used in German to describe a state of extreme aggression.
The noun 'der Amokläufer' (spree killer) belongs to the word family around the term 'Amok' (amok). This also includes the fixed verb phrase 'Amok laufen' (to run amok) and the noun 'der Amoklauf' (killing spree) for the act itself.
Die Medien berichteten ausführlich über den Amoklauf.
The media reported extensively on the killing spree.
This word is mainly used in a very serious context, especially in the news, police reports, and psychology. It is not a word for everyday use.
In den Nachrichten wurde vor einem flüchtigen Amokläufer gewarnt.
The news warned of a fugitive spree killer.
terrorist
'der Terrorist' and 'der Amokläufer' both describe very dangerous people who may attack other people. Nevertheless, the words are not the same. 'der Terrorist' acts with a political, religious, or ideological goal and wants to spread fear through violence. 'der Amokläufer' attacks several people in a seemingly random way in a public place, often in a state of extreme rage or despair. The words can be confused because both appear in news reports about serious violence. The key point is the motivation: with terror, the focus is on a goal and the effect on society. With an 'Amoklauf' (spree attack), the focus is on the indiscriminate attack.
Der Amokläufer griff in einem Einkaufszentrum mehrere Menschen an.
The spree killer attacked several people in a shopping center.
Der Terrorist bekannte sich in einer Nachricht zu dem politisch motivierten Anschlag.
The terrorist claimed responsibility in a message for the politically motivated attack.