carnificīna (carnuf-), ae. f. carnifex. The office of executioner or hangman; capital punishment, execution: carnificinam facere = carnificem esse, Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 23; cf. id. Cist. 2, 1, 1: locus carnificinae, Suet. Tib. 62.

—Hence, Per meton., the rack, torture, torment: dolores atque carnificinas facere, Cato ap. Gell. 10, 3, 17; and ap. Non. p. 187, 30; so, carnificinam subire, Cic. Tusc. 5, 27, 78: in ergastulum et carnificinam duci, Liv. 2, 23, 6.

— Trop.: cum omnis perturbatio miseria est, tum carnificina est aegritudo, Cic. Tusc. 3, 13, 27; cf. id. Sest. 65, 135 (= crudelitas).