verb
execute
To put someone to death as a legally authorized punishment
Where it comes from
Execute came through Anglo-French and Medieval Latin from Latin exsequi, also spelled exequi. That verb joined ex-, out or through, to sequi, to follow, and could mean follow out, pursue, or carry through.
How the meaning developed
English first used execute broadly for carrying an order, plan, law, or judgment into effect. Putting someone to death became one particular legal application: an official followed a death sentence through. Computer code now executes when its instructions are carried out.
Sources
Definitions adapted from Open English WordNet where applicable. License and attribution. Word-history text comes from Lexifour’s sourced social research; pages are assembled automatically, not individually fact-checked on every update.
Updated 2026-09-30. Report a correction.