manslaughter

IPA/ˈmænslɔːtə(r)/
KK[mˈænslˌɔtɚ]IPA/ˈmænslɔːtər/

manslaughter — noun

1. The legal crime of causing a person's death by acting in a reckless or dangerous

1.nounB2
Definition

The legal crime of causing a person's death by acting in a reckless or dangerously careless way, without having planned or wanted to kill, and therefore not as serious as murder under the law.

Example

The truck driver faced manslaughter charges after the crash, though he had not meant to kill anyone.

face + manslaughter charges (common legal collocation)

A jury found the doctor guilty of manslaughter for giving a patient the wrong medication.

find + [person] + guilty of manslaughter

Common collocations
  • charged with manslaughter
  • found guilty of manslaughter
  • vehicular manslaughter
  • involuntary manslaughter
  • voluntary manslaughter
  • manslaughter case
  • manslaughter conviction
  • manslaughter charge
Synonyms
  • homicide

    a broader term that includes both lawful and unlawful killings, not just the crime of reckless killing

  • culpable homicide

    legal term used in some jurisdictions (e.g. Scotland, South Africa) for unlawful killing without murder

  • killing

    a general, non-technical word without the specific legal meaning

Antonyms
  • murder

    unlawful killing with intent or premeditation, considered the most serious homicide crime

Grammar Patterns

manslaughter + verb (singular)

Usage Note

Commonly contrasted with murder, which requires intent or premeditation. Manslaughter covers deaths caused by recklessness, negligence, or sudden provocation without malice. Distinguish from homicide: homicide is the broader term covering all killings of a person by another, including lawful ones.

Common Mistakes

He was found guilty of a manslaughter.
He was found guilty of manslaughter.
Manslaughter is nearly always uncountable and does not take an indefinite article.
Manslaughter and murder mean the same thing in court.
Manslaughter is less serious than murder because the person did not intend to kill.
Murder requires intent or premeditation; manslaughter does not.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Manslaughter, murder, and homicide all refer to one person causing the death of another, but they differ sharply in legal meaning. Homicide is the broadest category, covering any killing of a human being by another person — including lawful acts such as self-defense or wartime combat. Murder is the most serious, requiring intent (often called malice aforethought) to kill or cause serious injury. Manslaughter falls between them: it is an unlawful killing carried out without premeditation or intent, typically through recklessness, negligence, or sudden emotional provocation. For example, a driver who causes a fatal crash because of distracted driving would likely face manslaughter charges rather than murder, because the death was accidental, not intentional.

murder ↗homicide ↗killing ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • vehicular manslaughter
  • involuntary manslaughter
  • voluntary manslaughter
  • criminal manslaughter
  • manslaughter charges

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Manslaughter comes from the Old English combination of 'man' (human being) and 'slaht' (a killing or slaughter). It entered legal usage in Middle English as a term for the unlawful killing of a person, distinguished from murder by the absence of intent or premeditation. The word has been used in English law since at least the 1500s.