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massacre
[ mas-uh-ker ]
noun
- the unnecessary, indiscriminate killing of a large number of human beings or animals, as in barbarous warfare or persecution or for revenge or plunder.
Synonyms: , , ,
- a general slaughter, as of persons or animals:
the massacre of millions during the war.
Synonyms: , , ,
- Informal. a crushing defeat, especially in sports.
verb (used with object)
- to kill unnecessarily and indiscriminately, especially a large number of persons.
Synonyms:
- Informal. to defeat decisively, especially in sports.
massacre
/ ˈmæsəkə; ˈmæsəkrə /
noun
- the wanton or savage killing of large numbers of people, as in battle
- informal.an overwhelming defeat, as in a game
verb
- to kill indiscriminately or in large numbers
- informal.to defeat overwhelmingly
Derived Forms
- massacrer, noun
Other Word Forms
- s· [mas, -, uh, -krer], noun
- ܲ·s· adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of massacre1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
Ms Mulvanny said this included the so-called "Valentine's Day massacre" at a high school in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 in which 17 people were killed.
Commentators sometimes compare dictators to Herod, the king who ordered the massacre of children in his quest to kill the infant Christ.
In 2023 it witnessed horrific massacres, along ethnic lines, which the US and others say amounted to genocide.
Despite the criticism levelled against him over the investigation into the Uchuraccay massacre, Vargas Llosa continued to expose state terror and abuse of power through literature.
"We are living through an industrial massacre," he added.
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About This Word
doesmassacre mean?
A massacre is a large-scale killing of people or animals, especially defenseless ones.
The word implies that such a killing was especially unnecessary, brutal, and indiscriminate. An event in which soldiers kill many civilians could be called a massacre. Mass shootings are massacres.
Massacre can also be used in a more general way to refer to killing on a large-scale, as in This war will result in the massacre of millions.
Massacre can also be used as a verb in both of these senses, as in The flock was massacred by the pack of wolves.
Massacre is also used figuratively as a noun and a verb in the context of a decisive defeat, especially a one-sided sporting event, as in It was a massacre—we lost 12-0.
Example: Every day, the news tells us of yet another massacre of innocent people by a person with a gun.
Where doesmassacre come from?
The first records of the word massacre come from around 1580. It comes from the Middle French verb massacrer. It may ultimately derive from the Vulgar Latin ٳٱū, meaning “mallet,” but its origin is uncertain.
When referring to a violent event, the word massacre is most often used in reference to war. In particular, it is used to refer to events in which soldiers are killing not just other soldiers but also civilians. In the United States, the word massacre has been used in reference to historic events that include violent killings of defenseless victims. For example, during the Boston Massacre of 1770, British soldiers fired on a crowd of colonists, killing five. Other events labeled massacres often involve the killing of many more people—thousands or even millions.
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How ismassacre used in real life?
Massacre is often used in the context of violent events, but it’s commonly used in a figurative way, especially in the context of sports.
“This was a massacre. Nine people died on that day. Six of them were children.”
A Sky News investigation has discovered evidence of a recent potential war crime in northern Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition, which is backed by the US and Britain
— Sky News (@SkyNews)
Wounded Knee was a massacre of hundreds of defenseless Native men, women, and children at the hands of U.S. soldiers. We must take steps to address this horrific injustice. Today, I am proud to join my colleagues on a bill to revoke Medals of Honor awarded for Wounded Knee.
— Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris)
The Patriots massacre of the Colts on Sunday is going to be such a bloodbath that the NFL might have to move the game to HBO. Not for cable.
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis)
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