Added 9 October 2026
massacre
/ˈmæs.ə.kə(ɹ)/ noun
In Latin: trucīdātiō, strāgēs Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about massacre at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
The killing of a considerable number where little or no resistance can be made, with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and/or contrary to civilized norms.
St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
- Any overwhelming defeat, as in a game or sport.
verb
- To kill in considerable numbers where little or no resistance can be made, with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and contrary to civilized norms.
- To win against (an opponent) very decisively.
- To perform (a work, such as a musical piece or a play) very poorly.
Origin
1580, 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: * From Latin macellum (“butcher shop”). * From Vulgar Latin *matteuculāre, from *matteuca (cf. massue), from Late Latin mattea, mattia, from Latin mateola.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)