fratricide

/ˈfrætrəsaɪd/
noun
  1. The act of killing one's own brother or sister.
    • He was convicted of fratricide after a long and emotional trial.
    • The story of Cain and Abel is one of the earliest accounts of fratricide.
    • Fratricide is considered one of the most tragic crimes within a family.
  2. A person who kills their own brother or sister.
    • The novel's villain is a cold-hearted fratricide who murdered his twin.
    • In the legend, the fratricide was cursed to wander the earth forever.
    • Historians debate whether the ancient king was a fratricide or a victim of slander.
  3. The killing of members of one's own group, country, or organization.
    • The conflict descended into fratricide as former allies turned on each other.
    • Fratricide among rival factions brought the revolution to a bloody end.
    • The general warned that the internal feud could lead to fratricide within the army.