defenestration
/ˌdiːfɛnɪˈstreɪʃ(ə)n
/noun [mass noun]
1 formal or humorous The action of throwing someone out of a window: death by defenestration has a venerable history...
- The alternative on offer was to jump through a window, which literate readers will know as defenestration, a popular way of inviting kings to commit suicide in 17th century Europe.
- Make it a rule that anyone, interviewer or interviewee, who uses that word will be subject to immediate defenestration.
- Folks, it's just not a complete movie without at least one good defenestration.
1.1 (the Defenestration of Prague) see Prague.
2 informal The action or process of dismissing someone from a position of power or authority: that victory resulted in Churchill’s own defenestration by the war-weary British electorate...
- Several other revelations have begun to seep out in the wake of O'Brien's forced defenestration.
- The announcement, hurried out after the Stock Exchange had closed, and most of the City had gone home, speaks of a defenestration.
- Instead, more than 22 years since her defenestration, Thatcher's brand of neo-liberalism is the unshakeable paradigm for our economy and politics.
Origin
Early 17th century: from modern Latin defenestratio(n-), from de- 'down from' + Latin fenestra 'window'.