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massacre

- 5 dictionary results

mas⋅sa⋅cre

  [mas-uh-ker] noun, verb, -cred, -cring.
Use massacre in a Sentence
–noun
1. the unnecessary, indiscriminate killing of a large number of human beings or animals, as in barbarous warfare or persecution or for revenge or plunder.
2. a general slaughter, as of persons or animals: the massacre of millions during the war.
3. Informal. a crushing defeat, esp. in sports.
–verb (used with object)
4. to kill unnecessarily and indiscriminately, esp. a large number of persons.
5. Informal. to defeat decisively, esp. in sports.
Origin:
1575–85; (n.) < MF massacre, n. deriv. of massacrer, OF maçacrer, macecler, prob. < VL *matteūcculāre, v. deriv. of *matteūca mallet (see mashie, mace 1 ); (v.) < MF massacrer

Related forms:
mas⋅sa⋅crer  [mas-uh-krer] , noun

Synonyms:
1, 2. carnage, extermination, butchery, genocide. 4. slay. See slaughter.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To massacre
mas·sa·cre   (mās'ə-kər)   
n.  
  1. The act or an instance of killing a large number of humans indiscriminately and cruelly.
  2. The slaughter of a large number of animals.
  3. Informal A severe defeat, as in a sports event.
tr.v.   mas·sa·cred (-kərd), mas·sa·cring (-krĭng, -kər-ĭng), mas·sa·cres
  1. To kill indiscriminately and wantonly; slaughter.
  2. Informal To defeat decisively.
  3. Informal To botch; bungle: massacred the French language trying to order dinner.

[French, from Old French macecle, macecre, butchery, shambles.]
mas'sa·crer (-kər-ər, -krər) n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Massacre

Mas"sa*cre\, n. [F., fr. LL. mazacrium; cf. Prov. G. metzgern, metzgen, to kill cattle, G. metzger a butcher, and LG. matsken to cut, hew, OHG. meizan to cut, Goth. m['a]itan.]

1. The killing of a considerable number of human beings under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty, or contrary to the usages of civilized people; as, the massacre on St. Bartholomew's Day.

2. Murder. [Obs.] --Shak.

Syn: Massacre, Butchery, Carnage.

Usage: Massacre denotes the promiscuous slaughter of many who can not make resistance, or much resistance. Butchery refers to cold-blooded cruelty in the killing of men as if they were brute beasts. Carnage points to slaughter as producing the heaped-up bodies of the slain.

I'll find a day to massacre them all, And raze their faction and their family. --Shak.

If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds, Brhold this pattern of thy butcheries. --Shak.

Such a scent I draw Of carnage, prey innumerable ! --Milton.

Massacre

Mas"sa*cre\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Massacred; p. pr. & vb. n. Massacring.] [Cf. F. massacrer. See Massacre, n.] To kill in considerable numbers where much resistance can not be made; to kill with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and contrary to the usages of nations; to butcher; to slaughter; -- limited to the killing of human beings.

If James should be pleased to massacre them all, as Maximian had massacred the Theban legion. --Macaulay.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : massacre
Spanish: masacre,
German: das Gemetzel,
Japanese: 大虐殺
More Translations »

massacre  (v.)
1581, from M.Fr. massacre "wholesale slaughter, carnage," from O.Fr. macacre, macecle "slaughterhouse, butchery," perhaps from L. macellum "provisions store, butcher shop." The noun is attested from 1586.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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