to behead
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to behead
To kill someone by cutting their head off from their body. Historically, this often happened as a form of execution.
Während der Französischen Revolution wurden viele Adlige mit der Guillotine enthauptet.
During the French Revolution, many nobles were beheaded with the guillotine.
The verb consists of the inseparable prefix 'ent-' and the word 'Haupt' (head). The prefix 'ent-' here means 'to take away' or 'to remove'. 'Enthaupten' (to behead) therefore literally means 'to take away the head'.
Der König wurde im Hof der Burg enthauptet.
The king was beheaded in the castle courtyard.
Since the focus is usually on the victim of the action, this verb is very often used in the passive. The person who suffers the beheading becomes the subject of the sentence.
Der Verurteilte wurde bei Sonnenaufgang enthauptet.
The condemned man was beheaded at sunrise.
This word belongs to a very formal and specific register. It is used almost exclusively in historical, literary, or legal contexts when talking about executions.
In vielen alten Geschichten werden Drachen von Helden enthauptet.
In many old stories, dragons are beheaded by heroes.
to execute
'hinrichten' and 'enthaupten' can both describe a killing connected with a punishment or an order. 'hinrichten' is the more general term: it says that someone is killed because of a verdict or order. 'enthaupten' describes the specific method of killing, namely that the head is separated from the body. Learners may confuse the words because beheading was historically often a form of execution. The important point is: every beheading can be an execution, but not every execution is a beheading.
In der alten Geschichte wurde der Feind mit einem Schwert enthauptet.
In the old story, the enemy was beheaded with a sword.
Der König ließ den Verräter vor den Toren der Stadt hinrichten.
The king had the traitor executed in front of the city gates.