Gibbet
/ˈdʒɪbɪt/noun
A frame that was used in the past for executing people by hanging them.
The criminal was hanged from the gibbet in the town square.
Often appears as...
- hang from a gibbet
- erect a gibbet
Usage tips
Historical
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Historic Horror
Conveys a sense of fear as it's associated with cruel historical punishments.
The old tale described the pirate swinging from the gibbet at dawn.
Pro Tip 2/3Obsolete Term
Rarely used today; more commonly found in historical contexts or literature.
We visited the museum and saw a reconstruction of a medieval gibbet.
Pro Tip 3/3Morbid Attraction
Sometimes used to evoke a grim fascination with the macabre aspects of history.
Ghost tours often feature the notorious gibbet hill where thieves met their end.
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