noyade

Noyade is a French term meaning drowning. It is used to describe both the act of submersion in water and the death that results from immersion. In historical contexts, the word is also associated with mass drownings carried out as a form of execution.

In medical and forensic terms, drowning refers to death caused by asphyxia due to submersion or immersion in liquid. The diagnosis relies on the circumstances of submersion and postmortem findings, such as signs in the airways and lungs. Determining drowning as the exact cause of death can be complex, and other causes of asphyxia may need to be ruled out. Prevention focuses on water safety, supervision, and prompt rescue and resuscitation when submersion occurs.

The phrase noyades is especially linked with episodes of state violence during the French Revolution. In 1793–1794, authorities in Nantes and the surrounding Loire region carried out drownings of detainees and prisoners as a method of execution, resulting in hundreds to potentially thousands of victims. These events are studied as examples of mass violence and political repression in revolutionary France, and they have influenced historical discussions of human rights and state conduct.

Etymology-wise, noyade derives from the verb noyER, to drown; a drowned person is noyé, and noyade denotes the act or process of drowning. In contemporary usage, noyade remains the standard French word for drowning. In English-language scholarship, noyade or noyades is sometimes used to describe the historical drownings, though the common term for the condition remains drowning.