Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Pertaining to or involving fratricide: as, a fratricidal war.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to fratricide; of the nature of fratricide.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to fratricide

Etymologies

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Examples

  • The turbulent republic had recently almost dissolved in fratricidal civil war.

    Some Aspects of the Public Service 1960

  • 'This,' says the _Courier_, 'has been called a fratricidal war by some, by others an irrepressible conflict between freedom and slavery.

    The Continental Monthly, Vol. 2, No 3, September, 1862 Devoted to Literature and National Policy. Various

  • Throughout a long and disastrous war, sometimes referred to as a fratricidal war, during which this fair land was drenched in blood, and also during which aforesaid war numerous frightful blunders were made which are fast coming to the surface -- through the courtesy of participants in said war who have patiently waited for those who blundered to die off, and now admit that said participants who are dead did blunder exceedingly throughout all this long and deadly struggle for the supremacy of liberty and right -- as I was about to say when my mind began to wobble, the

    Remarks Bill Nye 1873

  • I am genuinely perplexed by the fury some express about the so-called "fratricidal" nature of Ed Miliband's victory over his elder brother David.

    Why treat Ed Miliband as a younger son who should 'know his place'? Katharine Viner 2010

  • As long as the “Jews of Palestine” continue to attempt to destabilize the democratic results of the the elections the Arbas of Palestine held there will continue to be these kind of fratricidal struggles.

    Matthew Yglesias » “More Atlantic for me” 2007

  • I say "fratricidal" knowing this word for years seemed more applicable to the Democrats.

    A Big Job Opening 2008

  • We want to see that kind of fratricidal battles going on on the Republican side.

    Hullabaloo 2008

  • Give the people the respite from fratricidal strife that they long for and deserve.

    Eastern Europe 2009

  • The result of this fratricidal carnage is that al-Qaida has now lost what fatal attraction it once held for anti-imperialists.

    Osama bin Laden: laying ghosts to rest | Editorial 2011

  • To mark the anniversary, CNN commissioned a poll of Americans' views on the fratricidal war between the states.

    HUFFPOST HILL - Defense Spending Up Despite Drawdown Eliot Nelson 2011

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