Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

behead

/bɪˈhɛd/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.71 in modern English

Syllables: be-head
IPA: /bɪˈhɛd/

12

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To deliberately remove the head of; to cut off (someone's) head.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"“For a while it was hand-to-hand between us, then blood went curling along the currents and I beheaded Grendel's mother in the hall with a mighty sword.”]"

Etymology

From Middle English beheden, bihefden, biheveden, from Old English behēafdian (“to behead”), from Proto-West Germanic *bihaubudōn, *bihaubidōn (“to behead”), equivalent to be- (“off, away”) + head. Cognate with Middle High German behoubeten (“to behead”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Prefix: be
Root: *kap-, beheden, behēafdian, *bihaubudōn

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

beheads (present, singular) beheading (participle, present) beheaded (participle, past) beheaded (past)

Derived Forms

beheadable beheadal beheaded beheadee beheader beheading beheadment

Synonyms

decapitate decollate

Rhymes With

said read head red instead lead dead led bed ahead spread ed

Questions

How do you pronounce behead?: The recorded pronunciation is /bɪˈhɛd/.
What does behead mean?: To deliberately remove the head of; to cut off (someone's) head.
Where does behead come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce behead

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “behead”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/bɪˈhɛd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “behead”.
Repeat and practice — Say “behead” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.