• phx@lemmy.world
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    17 hours ago

    I’ve never heard being elected official as a criteria for the term, the dictionary definition of assassination is

    “the premeditated act of killing someone suddenly or secretively, especially a prominent person.”

    And there have been plenty of non-electoral assassinations, including those by (or of) mob figures, journalists, and many others.

      • xyzzy@lemmy.today
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        14 hours ago

        The killer in an assassination is by definition an assassin. An assassin is not always some paid mercenary killer (this is rarely the case).

        John Wilkes Booth is an easy example. He was an actor.