massacre
The killing of a considerable number where little or no resistance can be made, with…The killing of a considerable number (usually limited to people) where little or no resistance can be made, with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and/or contrary to civilized norms.
» Tom told us about the massacre.
Meaning
3 senses(countable, uncountable)The killing of a considerable number (usually limited to people) where little or no resistance can be made, with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and/or contrary to civilized norms.
St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
Massacres of Diyarbekir
Massaker, Gemetzel
резня́reznjá, бо́йняbójnja, ма́ссовое уби́йствоmássovoje ubíjstvo
різня́riznjá, різани́наrizanýna, маса́краmasákra
(countable, figuratively, uncountable)Any overwhelming defeat, as in a game or sport.
(countable, obsolete, uncountable)Murder.
- the savage and excessive killing of many people
Examples
45 sentencesTom told us about the massacre.
Did you hear about the massacre?
Tom was the only survivor of the massacre.
Tom wasn't the only survivor of the massacre.
It was a massacre.
deEs war ein Massaker. — Yorwba
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
1580, from Middle French massacre, from Old French macacre, marcacre, macecre, macecle (“s1580, from Middle French massacre, from Old French macacre, marcacre, macecre, macecle (“slaughterhouse, butchery”), usually thought to be deverbal from Old French macecrer, macecler (“to slaughter”), though the noun seems to be attested somewhat earlier. It is also found in Medieval Latin mazacrium (“massacre, slaughter, killing”, also “the head of a newly killed stag”). Further origin disputed:
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Forms
plural: massacresSynonyms
5 synonyms- the savage and excessive killing of many people:slaughtermass murdercarnagebutchery
Word family
6 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable