impalement

English
Demonstrations of impalement. The one on the right shows how the result could be unrecognizable (hence quartering became preferred).

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle French empalement;[1] equivalent to impale +‎ -ment.

Pronunciation
  • Audio (US)(file)

Noun

impalement (countable and uncountable, plural impalements)

  1. The act of torturing or executing someone by impaling them on a sharp stake.
  2. (heraldry) The joining of two coats of arms on one shield.
  3. A space fenced in, such as by palings, possibly in the form of an enclosure or cup.
  4. (botany, obsolete) In the sense of an enclosure, the calyx of a flower. (In still older works, also spelt empalement.)
    • 1823, Charles Mead, The School Exercise:
      The parts of fructification are seven in number... The First part is the calyx, impalement, or flower cup.

Translations

References
  1. “impalement, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
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