carnage
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of carnage
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French, from Italian carnaggio, from Medieval Latin carnāticum “payment or offering in meat,” equivalent to Latin carn- (stem of carō ) “flesh” + -āticum noun sufffix; see -age
Explanation
Carnage is mass murder. If you have seen news footage of a village after a bomb has been detonated, you probably saw a scene of carnage. Carnage comes from the Latin carnaticum, meaning "flesh" or "slaughter of animals." Carnage is often used to describe the brutal killing of many people, but can also refer to large numbers of animals that have been butchered.
Vocabulary lists containing carnage
Donald Trump Inauguration Address- January 20, 2017
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Persepolis
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Achievement First 7th Grade IA 1 Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A Wednesday client note from Morgan Stanley laid out the scale of carnage for hedge funds betting on and against stocks last month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
This is a war film in style and substance, emphasizing the mental exhaustion of a country that cannot handle any more carnage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
The surge in bond yields to generational highs has investors around the world watching and worrying about what could crack, spiral or leave a trail of carnage in its path.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 3, 2026
Newcomer Donald started the carnage, ramping Dushmantha Chameera's first ball over the ropes, before Buttler joined the party and Brook then launched three of his own into the stands.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Today it had forestalled carnage, at least for a time.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
