ETYM French (cf. Italian assassino), from Arabic lhashishin one who has drunk of the hashish. Under its influence the Assassins of the East, followers of the Shaikh al-Jabal (Old Man of the Mountain), were said to commit the murders required by their chief.
A hired murderer; SYN. bravo.

Someone who causes the death of a person or animal; SYN. slayer.

A criminal who performs unlawful premeditated killing of a human being; SYN. liquidator.