the.com/executioner
A person legally tasked with carrying out a court-ordered death sentence, a grave and irreversible duty.
means A person formally appointed to carry out a death sentence ordered by a court or authority.
from From 'execute,' which traces to Latin exsequi — 'to follow out, carry through to the end' (ex- 'out' + sequi 'to follow'). Legal English borrowed 'execute' for 'carry out a judgment' long before it narrowed specifically to carrying out a death sentence; the agent noun 'executioner' piled on an extra suffix in the 1500s to distinguish the hangman from anyone merely executing a contract or a will.
- job security
- ancient profession, always grim demand
- anonymity tradition
- often wore masks to avoid revenge
- last words
- frequently apologized to the condemned first