behead
‘to cut off the head, decapitate’
Lexical development traced from the Tamil root:
E. behéafdi- an, behæfdien, behede, beheadde < M.E. bihevden < O.E. beheafdian < be- + heafod ‘head’ < hed < kaput- < Tamil kappu
Other meaning: Of things: to deprive of the top or foremost part.