cut·throat

[kuht-throht]
noun
1.
a person who cuts, throats; murderer.
adjective
2.
murderous.
3.
ruthless: cutthroat competition.
4.
pertaining to a game, as of cards, in which each of three or more persons acts and scores as an individual.
Origin:
1525–35; cut + throat

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To cutthroat
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

cutthroat
1530s, from cut (v.) + throat. Of card games, from 1823.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Ideally, a college would have a sense of tightknit community and cooperation
  instead of a cutthroat and stressful environment.
It's true that any company in a cutthroat business needs to keep a tight lid on
  product rollout schedules.
There's a tendency to think these teenagers are all cutthroat, that it's all
  about getting discovered.
The threatened greenback cutthroat trout once stared extinction in the face.
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriHome Advisor
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
About PRIVACY POLICY Terms API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Suggest a Word Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT