self-immolation

Definitions

1. The act of setting oneself on fire, especially as a form of protest.
   countable, uncountable
2. The act of self-sacrificing oneself, in any manner of ways.
   countable, figuratively, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“The act of self-immolation The sweeping wave⟳ of self-immolation began in 2009 in the aftermath of the 2008 nationwide uprisings against China. Since then, Tibet has witnessed at least 152 self-immolations. Of these self-immolators,¹ 126 were men and 26 women. The burning flame has consumed 130 lives. Nearly a third of the Tibetans who resorted to self-immolation protest⟳ were monks and nuns.² The rest⟳ were laypeople from different regions and from all walks of life: students, farmers, teachers, young parents, grandparents and mothers of several children.”

CEFR level