Dictionary

decriminalise en · VERB

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h₁ Proto-Indo-European *déh₁ Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē-der. English de- English criminalise English decriminalise From de- + criminalise.

Meanings

1. (UK, alt-of, nonstandard) Non-Oxford British English standard spelling of decriminalize.
   alt of decriminalize
   • Ghana is one of four countries to have decriminalised suicide in the past year – Malaysia, Guyana and Pakistan are the others. 2023 July 20, Sarah Johnson, “‘It’s a huge sign of progress’: the battle to decriminalise suicide”, in The Guardian:
   • Vladimir Putin has signed into law a controversial amendment that decriminalises some forms of domestic violence. 2017 July 2, Shaun Walker, “Putin approves legal change that decriminalises some domestic violence”, in The Guardian:
   • Nauru has reformed its criminal code, decriminalising homosexuality and suicide. 2016 May 28, Ben Doherty, “Nauru decriminalises homosexuality and suicide”, in The Guardian:
   • Celebrations have erupted in India after the supreme court unanimously ruled to decriminalise homosexual sex in a landmark judgment for gay rights. 2018 June 9, Michael Safi, “Campaigners celebrate as India decriminalises homosexuality”, in The Guardian:

Forms