Welcome to Dailypedia

Guillotine-like devices existed and were used for executions in Britain before the French Revolution, and there are accounts of similar devices in Italy and Switzerland dating back to the 16th century. The French, however, developed the machine further, and France became the first nation to use it as a standard execution method. On April 25, 1792, highwayman Nicolas J. Pelletier became the first person executed by guillotine. Where does the device get its name?