killer
pronunciation
How to pronounce killer in British English:
UK [ˈkɪlə(r)]
How to pronounce killer in American English:
US [ˈkɪlɚ]
-
- Noun:
- someone who causes the death of a person or animal
- the causal agent resulting in death
- a difficulty that is hard to deal with
- predatory black-and-white toothed whale with large dorsal fin; common in cold seas
Word Origin
- killer (n.)
- late 15c., agent noun from kill (v.). But a surname, Ric[hard] Le Kyller is attested from 1288. Figurative use from 1550s. Meaning "impressive person or thing" is by 1900 (as an adjective, 1979); reduplicated form killer-diller attested by 1938. Killer whale is from 1725; killer instinct is attested from 1931, originally in boxing.
Example
- 1. Killer apps establish new industries and transform existing ones .
- 2. That brilliant woman had led us to her killer .
- 3. We waited in a restaurant to see if the killer would visit the address I 'd texted him .
- 4. More companies need boards with this killer instinct .
- 5. Contests.com is a killer domain name .