ethnic cleansing

American  

noun

1. the elimination of an unwanted ethnic group or groups from a society, as by genocide or forced emigration.

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ethnic cleansing British  

noun

1. euphemistic  the violent removal by one ethnic group of other ethnic groups from the population of a particular area: used esp of the activities of Serbs against Croats and Muslims in the former Yugoslavia

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ethnic cleansing Cultural  

1. A euphemism to describe the forceful removal or genocide of minority ethnic groups (see ethnicity) during the breakup of Yugoslavia. It was used mainly to describe the Serbs' attacks on Muslims in Bosnia and Albanians in Kosovo. (See Slobodan Milosevic and Kosovo War.)

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Etymology

Origin of ethnic cleansing

First recorded in 1985–90

Compare meaning

How does ethnic-cleansing compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ethnic cleansing vs. genocide

Example Sentences

It added that preventing displaced populations from returning and demolishing homes amounted to ethnic cleansing.

From Barron's

Some of her works listed on Instagram criticise "American imperialism," what she called Israeli war crimes and denounce the "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians, mirroring some of her husband's policy positions.

From BBC

A student asked why the U.S. should support Israel when it has committed “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza and the Jewish religion “openly supports the persecution” of Christianity.

From The Wall Street Journal

Anti-Israel resolutions have passed in Oakland, Stanton, Burbank and Richmond, where the progressive-controlled City Council accused Israel of “ethnic cleansing” and “apartheid.”

From Los Angeles Times

El-Fasher "appears to be in a systematic and intentional process of ethnic cleansing of… indigenous non-Arab communities through forced displacement and summary execution", the Yale researchers say in a report.

From BBC