butcher

American  

[booch-er] / ˈbʊtʃ ər /

noun

1. a retail or wholesale dealer in meat.

2. a person who slaughters certain animals, or who dresses the flesh of animals, fish, or poultry, for food or market.

3. a person guilty of brutal or indiscriminate slaughter or murder.

   Synonyms:

   cutthroat, killer

4. a vendor who hawks newspapers, candy, beverages, etc., as on a train, at a stadium, etc.

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verb (used with object)

1. to slaughter or dress (animals, fish, or poultry) for market.

2. to kill indiscriminately or brutally.

3. to bungle; botch.

   to butcher a job.

butcher British  

/ ˈbʊtʃə /

noun

1. a retailer of meat

2. a person who slaughters or dresses meat for market

3. an indiscriminate or brutal murderer

4. a person who destroys, ruins, or bungles something

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verb

1. to slaughter or dress (animals) for meat

2. to kill indiscriminately or brutally

3. to make a mess of; botch; ruin

Related Words

See slaughter.

Other Word Forms

• butcherer noun
• unbutchered adjective

Etymology

Origin of butcher

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English bocher, from Anglo-French; Old French bo(u)chier, equivalent to bo(u)c “he-goat” (from unattested Gaulish bucco-; compare Old Irish boc, Welsh bwch; akin to buck ¹ ) + -ier -ier ² ( -er ² )

Example Sentences

Gil was pouring money into the renovation, into things he probably shouldn’t have, putting extra-nice butcher block in the bathrooms.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

“I’m celebrating neither Nowruz nor Fitr this year,” said Hasan, a Tehran butcher who said he saw two-thirds of his revenue wiped out.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

And if you can swing it, freshly ground meat — from a butcher counter rather than a foam tray — makes a difference you can actually feel.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026

On a recent wintry night, Nodler was excited to spot two familiar guests at a table enjoying chicken schnitzel and homemade milk bread: the butcher shop owner and town locksmith.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

I gave an apologetic smile to the others around the table, knowing that without my bargaining with the butcher and the produce seller, the meals here were probably pitiful.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Related Words

• slaughter