1. Killing by cutting off the head
   "The painting depicted the beheading of the mythical monster";
   - decapitation
    
2. Execution by cutting off the victim's head
   "beheading was a common form of execution in medieval Europe";
   - decapitation

1. Cut the head of
   "the French King was beheaded during the Revolution";
   - decapitate, decollate [archaic]

Derived forms: beheadings

Type of: capital punishment, death penalty, executing, execution, kill, killing, putting to death

Encyclopedia: Beheading