Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *murþrijô ‎(“death, killing, murder”), from Proto-Indo-European *mrtro- ‎(“killing”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer-, *mor-, *mr- ‎(“to die”). Akin to Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌸𐍂 ‎(maurþr, “murder”), Old High German mord ‎(“murder”), Old Norse morð ‎(“murder”), Old English morþ ‎(“death, homicide, murder”), Old English morþor ‎(“secret slaying”).