hara-kiri: Meaning and Definition of

ha•ra-ki•ri

Pronunciation: (här'u-kēr'ē, har'u-, har'ē-), [key]
— n.
  1. ceremonial suicide by ripping open the abdomen with a dagger or knife: formerly practiced in Japan by members of the warrior class when disgraced or sentenced to death.
  2. suicide or any suicidal action; a self-destructive act: political hara-kiri.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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