massacre

American  

[mas-uh-ker] / ˈmæs ə kər /

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.

   Synonyms:

   genocide, butchery, extermination, carnage

2. a general slaughter, as of persons or animals.

   the massacre of millions during the war.

   Synonyms:

   genocide, butchery, extermination, carnage

3. Informal. a crushing defeat, especially in sports.

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verb (used with object)

massacred, massacring

1. to kill unnecessarily and indiscriminately, especially a large number of persons.

   Synonyms:

   slay

2. Informal. to defeat decisively, especially in sports.

massacre British  

/ ˈmæsəkə, ˈmæsəkrə /

noun

1. the wanton or savage killing of large numbers of people, as in battle

2. informal an overwhelming defeat, as in a game

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verb

1. to kill indiscriminately or in large numbers

2. informal to defeat overwhelmingly

Usage

What does massacre 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.

Related Words

See slaughter.

Other Word Forms

• massacrer
  noun
• unmassacred
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of massacre

First recorded in 1575–85; (noun), from Middle French massacre, noun derivative of massacrer, Old French maçacrer, macecler, probably from unattested Vulgar Latin matteūcculāre, verbal derivative of unattested matteūca “mallet” ( see mashie, mace ¹); (verb) from Middle French massacrer

Explanation

A massacre is a big bloody mess of killing, and usually for no good reason. Not that there’s ever a good reason for killing, but massacres are especially pointless and gory. It’s unclear where the word massacre came from, but possibly it was the Old French word macacre, which means “slaughterhouse.” As a noun, massacre is a brutal slaughter of humans or animals, and it can be a verb as well, like when an army massacres an entire village of innocent people. Pronounce it like MASS-uh-ker, and remember to spell it with an acre at the end, which is how much land is needed to bury the bodies after a massacre.

Example Sentences

Wall panels remind us of the Townshend Acts, the Tea Act and the Boston Massacre, all seminal events that led the Colonies to eventually break away from Britain.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025

Hoover’s last book with History Press, The Kelayres Massacre, was put out just a few months after Arcadia acquired the publisher.

From Slate • Nov. 3, 2025

"The Tulsa Race Massacre has been a stain on our city's history... hidden from history books," Nichols said.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2025

In his latest book, “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter,” a Blackfoot vampire who is murdered during the Marias Massacre of 1870 returns; 2016’s “Mongrels” is a coming-of-age-meets-werewolf story.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2025

He ran a long feature on George Vandeveer, charlatan attorney for the Wobbly defense in the Everett Massacre deliberations.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

Related Words

• assassination
• bloodbath
• bloodshed
• carnage
• extermination
• genocide
• murder
• slaughter
• slaying