Mörder

Mörder is a German noun meaning "murderer," the person who commits murder. The feminine form is Mörderin; the plural is Mörder. In ordinary use the term designates the person who commits murder; in legal contexts it refers to the offender charged with the offense of Mord.

Etymology: The word is built from Mord (murder) with the agent suffix -er, yielding “one who murders.” It derives from Germanic roots and has cognates in related languages.

Legal context: In German criminal law, Mord is defined in Section 211 of the Strafgesetzbuch (StGB). A person who commits Mord is called a Mörder; upon conviction the offender faces life imprisonment. The crime of Totschlag (manslaughter) in Section 212 covers killings without the qualifying features of Mord. The distinction depends on factors such as intent, premeditation, and motive. In reporting or court practice, “Mörder” is the descriptive label for the offender, while “Mord” denotes the offense.

Cultural usage: The term appears frequently in journalism, crime fiction, and film as a descriptor for a killer. It can also appear in titles and headlines, sometimes in neutral or sensationalized contexts depending on tone.

Overall, Mörder remains a standard term in German-language discussions of homicide, distinct from more general terms for killers such as Täter.