slaughter

1 of 2

noun

slaugh·​ter ˈslȯ-tər 

1

: the act of killing

specifically : the butchering of livestock for market

2

: killing of great numbers of human beings (as in battle or a massacre) : carnage

slaughter

2 of 2

verb

slaughtered; slaughtering; slaughters

transitive verb

1

: to kill (animals) for food : butcher

2

a

: to kill in a bloody or violent manner : slay

b

: to kill in large numbers : massacre

3

: to discredit, defeat, or demolish completely

slaughterer

ˈslȯ-tər-ər 

noun

Synonyms

Noun

• bloodbath
• butchery
• carnage
• death
• holocaust
• massacre

Verb

• butcher
• massacre
• mow (down)

Examples of slaughter in a Sentence

Noun

the slaughter of innocent people

all civilized nations should protest this senseless slaughter

Verb

Our team got slaughtered yesterday.

modern poultry farms slaughter a vast number of chickens every day

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Advertisement In both states, there are exemptions for lactating dairy cattle destined for slaughter. —Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024

The measure’s passage would shut down a lamb slaughter plant that butchers up to 500,000 lambs per year, accounting for between 15 and 20 percent of all US lamb meat. —Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 10 Oct. 2024

Verb

This is left somewhat ambiguous, but it is implied that Agatha is buying time for Nick by slaughtering covens of witches as an offering to Death. —Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

In April of 1983, Hezbollah assaulted the U.S. Embassy in Beirut with a suicide truck bomb that slaughtered 63 people, including 17 Americans. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse slātra to slaughter; akin to Old English sleaht slaughter, slēan to slay — more at slay

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing slaughter

• like a lamb to the slaughter
• pre-slaughter
• self-slaughter

Kids Definition

slaughter

1 of 2 noun

slaugh·​ter ˈslȯt-ər 

1

: the act of killing

especially : the butchering of livestock for market

2

: destruction of human lives in large numbers (as in war or a massacre)

slaughter

2 of 2 verb

1

: to kill an animal for food : butcher

2

: to kill without mercy or in large numbers : massacre

slaughterer

ˈslȯt-ər-ər 

noun