1. a murderer, esp. one who kills a politically prominent person for fanatical or monetary reasons. 2. (cap.) one of an order of Muslim fanatics, active in Persia and Syria c1090–1272, whose chief object was to assassinate Crusaders.
Assassinations may be ordered by both individuals and organizations and carried out by their accomplices. Acts of assassination have been performed since ancient times. A person who carries out an assassination is called an assassin. [4]