Dictionary

serial killer en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈsɪəɹɪəl ˌkɪlə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈsɪə̯ɹɪə̯ɫ ˌkʰɪlə] (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈsiɹiə̯ɫ ˌkʰiə̯ɫɚ] African-American Vernacular
• (US) audio
• [ˈsɪ(ə̯)ɹiə̯ɫ ˌkʰɪɫɚ] (General-American)
• /ˈseːɹial ˌkɪla/ (Caribbean)
• /ˈsɪəɹiəl ˌkɪlɚ/ (General-American)

Meanings

1. An individual who murders three or more people, with the killings taking place over a period of more than one month in three or more separate events.
   • “It’s easier to sort of attribute these deaths to a boogeyman serial killer as opposed to confronting the real possible reasons that these deaths are happening,” she said, pointing to mental health, substance abuse and housing issues. 2025 October 27, Dalia Faheid, “Bodies keep being recovered from the bayous around Houston. Why officials are convinced it’s not the work of a serial killer”, in CNN, archived from the original on 28 Oct 2025:

Forms

Deriveds

serial kill · serial killer glasses · serial killer van

Relateds

mass murderer

Translations (96)

it assassino seriale (person who commits multiple murders) · fr tueur en série (person who commits multiple murders) · el σίριαλ κίλερ (person who commits multiple murders) · be сэры́йная забо́йца (person who commits multiple murders) · es asesino en serie (person who commits multiple murders) · pl seryjny morderca (person who commits multiple murders) · ko 연쇄살인범 (person who commits multiple murders) · eo seria murdisto (person who commits multiple murders) · ru сери́йный уби́йца (person who commits multiple murders) · hi सिलसिलेवार हत्यारा (person who commits multiple murders) · sh serijski ubica (person who commits multiple murders) · pt assassino em série (person who commits multiple murders) · gl asasina en serie (person who commits multiple murders) · af reeksmoordenaar (person who commits multiple murders) · it pluriassassino (person who commits multiple murders) · de Serienkillerin (person who commits multiple murders) · es asesino serial (person who commits multiple murders) · sk sériový vrah (person who commits multiple murders) · pt assassina em série (person who commits multiple murders) · de Serienmörderin (person who commits multiple murders) · ro asasin în serie (person who commits multiple murders) · nb seriemorder (person who commits multiple murders) · it omicida seriale (person who commits multiple murders) · ko 련쇄살인범 (person who commits multiple murders) · he רוֹצֵחַ סִדְרָתִי (person who commits multiple murders) · ast asesín en serie (person who commits multiple murders) · mk сериски убиец (person who commits multiple murders) · fr tueuse en série (person who commits multiple murders) · be серы́йны забо́йца (person who commits multiple murders) · kk сериялық өлтіруші (person who commits multiple murders) · ms pembunuh bersiri (person who commits multiple murders) · bg сери́йна уби́йца (person who commits multiple murders) · az seriyalı qatil (person who commits multiple murders) · tr seri katil (person who commits multiple murders) · ka სერიული მკვლელი (person who commits multiple murders) · lt serijinis žudikas (person who commits multiple murders) · is raðmorðingi (person who commits multiple murders) · lv sērijveida slepkava (person who commits multiple murders) · uk сері́йна вби́вця (person who commits multiple murders) · pl seryjna morderczyni (person who commits multiple murders) · fi sarjamurhaaja (person who commits multiple murders) · be серы́йная забо́йца (person who commits multiple murders) · ro ucigaș în serie (person who commits multiple murders) · sh серијска убојица (person who commits multiple murders) · cy llofrudd cyfresol (person who commits multiple murders) · sh серијски убица (person who commits multiple murders) · bg сери́ен уби́ец (person who commits multiple murders) · mn цуврал алуурчин (person who commits multiple murders) · sh serijski ubojica (person who commits multiple murders) · da seriemorder (person who commits multiple murders) · be сэры́йны забо́йца (person who commits multiple murders) · pt serial killer (person who commits multiple murders) · eu serieko hiltzaile (person who commits multiple murders) · cmn 連環殺手 /连环杀手 (person who commits multiple murders) · ja シリアルキラー (person who commits multiple murders) · fy searjemoardner (person who commits multiple murders) · id pembunuh berantai (person who commits multiple murders) · ca assassí en sèrie (person who commits multiple murders) · uz serial qotil (person who commits multiple murders) · it assassina seriale (person who commits multiple murders) · es asesina en serie (person who commits multiple murders) · ja 連続殺人犯 (person who commits multiple murders) · th ฆาตกรต่อเนื่อง (person who commits multiple murders) · tg қотили силсилавӣ (person who commits multiple murders) · it pluriomicida (person who commits multiple murders) · gl asasino en serie (person who commits multiple murders) · hi सिलसिलेवार क़ातिल (person who commits multiple murders) · ik iñuaqtuqti (person who commits multiple murders) · sh серијски убојица (person who commits multiple murders) · lb Seriemäerder (person who commits multiple murders) · nl seriemoordenaarster (person who commits multiple murders) · ast asesín serial (person who commits multiple murders) · sv seriemördare (person who commits multiple murders) · it serial killer (person who commits multiple murders) · cs sériový vrah (person who commits multiple murders) · cs sériová vražedkyně (person who commits multiple murders) · sl serijski morilec (person who commits multiple murders) · nl seriemoordenaar (person who commits multiple murders) · de Serienkiller (person who commits multiple murders) · sq vrasësi serik (person who commits multiple murders) · hu sorozatgyilkos (person who commits multiple murders) · ru сери́йная уби́йца (person who commits multiple murders) · ky сериялык өлтүргүч (person who commits multiple murders) · hy սերիական մարդասպան (person who commits multiple murders) · ar قَاتِلَة مُتَسَلْسِلَة (person who commits multiple murders) · sl serijska morilka (person who commits multiple murders) · fa-ira قاتِلِ زَنْجیرِهای (person who commits multiple murders) · uk сері́йний уби́вця (person who commits multiple murders) · et sarimõrvar (person who commits multiple murders) · sh serijska ubojica (person who commits multiple murders) · yue 連環殺手 /连环杀手 (person who commits multiple murders) · de Serienmörder (person who commits multiple murders) · ar قَاتِل مُتَسَلْسِل (person who commits multiple murders) · vi sát nhân hàng loạt (person who commits multiple murders) · sk sériová vrahyňa (person who commits multiple murders) · ur سِلْسِلَہ وار قاتِل (person who commits multiple murders)