From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englisheuthanasiaeu‧tha‧na‧si‧a /ˌjuːθəˈneɪziə $ -ˈneɪʒə/ noun [uncountable] SSKILLthe deliberate killing of a person who is very ill and going to die, in order to stop them suffering SYN mercy killing
Examples from the Corpus
euthanasia• But it seems that these profit-hungry hospitals have found a way of practising legalised euthanasia.• But these analogies - murder, euthanasia - were summoned up in order to generate a remorse he did not instinctively feel.• In the Netherlands euthanasia has already been legalized.• In addition it should be noted that this Act also sets out in Schedule 2 approved methods of euthanasia.• The decision caused a huge public outcry and a national debate on euthanasia.• Most doctors are opposed to euthanasia on ethical grounds.Origin euthanasia (1600-1700) Greek “easy death”, from thanatos “death” 