decapitating

Decapitating, or beheading, is the act of removing the head from the body, typically resulting in death. In historical and contemporary contexts, it has served as a method of execution, warfare, ritual punishment, and political symbolism. The term decapitation derives from Latin decapitare, with beheading as a common English term.

Historically, decapitation has been carried out with edged weapons such as swords or axes, sometimes by military executioners. The use of a mechanical device, the guillotine, became prominent during the French Revolution and remained a method for public execution in some places into the 19th and late 20th centuries. Beheading has also appeared in royal or paramilitary settings as a display of power.

In modern law, decapitation is widely prohibited as a form of punishment in most countries. Some jurisdictions retain capital punishment by various means, including beheading, though it is rare and controversial. Beheadings recorded in recent years have been associated with extremist groups and have drawn widespread condemnation and calls for legal accountability as war crimes or crimes against humanity.

In culture, beheading appears in literature, film, and folklore, often signifying ultimate punishment, moral retribution, or the collapse of authority. The phrase "to decapitate" is also used metaphorically to describe drastic changes or removal of leadership.