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SplittingHares t1_j28xig4 wrote

Reply to comment by TronOld_Dumps in TIL Archduchess Mathilde of Austria accidentally set her dress alight and immolated herself while trying to hide a cigarette from her father by Brotherdodge

note: immolate, like the word electrocute, is often misused. When applied to a person or animal, it always means they died as a direct result of the event. Catching on fire is not immolation, immolation is when said fire kills you. Same deal with electrocution

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Exist50 t1_j29imdu wrote

No, that's outright false. Literally the very first definition off of google:

> electrocute: injure or kill someone by electric shock

Words can have a different meaning than their constituent parts.

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radio_allah t1_j29ivv9 wrote

How do you call an electrocution that does not result in death?

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Mr_Chubkins t1_j29jqy7 wrote

An electrocution. The person you replied to was incorrect.

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SplittingHares t1_j29ws4d wrote

if it's not deadly, it's called electric shock.

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Mr_Chubkins t1_j2a2olv wrote

It can be, but is not always. From Merriam-Webster Dictionary: electrocute, verb, to kill or severely injure by electric shock.

I understand that the origins of the word come from execute, and that its original meaning was always to kill with electricity, but that is no longer the case. Just as how decimate used to mean killing 10% but now has further meaning, so does electrocution.

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