massacre
OTHER WORDS FOR massacre
Origin of massacre
synonym study for massacre
OTHER WORDS FROM massacre
mas·sa·crer [mas-uh-krer], /ˈmæs ə krər/, nounun·mas·sa·cred, adjectiveWords nearby massacre
ABOUT THIS WORD
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.
Where does massacre 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 matteūca, 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.
Did you know ... ?
How is massacre 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) September 27, 2020
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) November 28, 2019
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) October 12, 2015