verdugo

executioner

noun behr-DOO-goh Rare

Also means

oppressor

Usage Note

Verdugo literally denotes the person who carries out a death sentence — a historical or literary executioner. Figuratively it is used for anyone who inflicts suffering on others: el verdugo de su pueblo ('the tormentor of his people'). The word also has a botanical sense — a thin shoot or twig — but that usage is rare in modern speech. The feminine verduga exists but is uncommon; el verdugo is typically used regardless of the referent's gender.

Examples

"El verdugo actuó al amanecer."

Natural Translation

The executioner acted at dawn.

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