death

death O.E. deað "death, dying, cause of death," in plura, "ghosts," from P.Gmc. *dauthaz (Cf. O.S. doth, O.Fris. dath, Du. dood, O.H.G. tod, Ger. Tod, O.N. dauði, Dan. dèd, Swed. död, Goth. dauþas "death"), from verbal stem *dheu- (3) "to die" (see DIE (Cf. die) (v.)) + *-thuz suffix indicating "act, process, condition." Death's-head, a symbol of mortality, is from 1590s. Death row first recorded 1940s. Death knell is attested from 1814; death penalty from 1875; death rate from 1859. Slang be death on "be very good at" is from 1839. Death wish first recorded 1896. The death-watch beetle (1660s) inhabits houses, makes a ticking noise like a watch, and is superstitiously supposed to portend death.