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

Farmers must kill chickens and turkeys when a poultry flock tests positive, and experts say the slaughter to prevent human infection has helped drive up the cost of eggs. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 16 June 2024

Charles Spencer Hires Divorce Lawyer Used by King Charles in Split with Sister Princess Diana: Report The RSPCA Assured is the organization's non-profit farm animal welfare assurance initiative, upholding higher farm animal welfare standards from birth to slaughter. —Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 11 June 2024

Verb

In addition to working horses, the authors focus on the cattle and pigs being slaughtered in the Chicago stockyards, the elephants touring the country with P.T. Barnum’s circus, and the city dogs swept up daily by dogcatchers and taken to the pound. —Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 June 2024

The fact finders visited several sites related to the massacres in which Hamas slaughtered about 1,200 people and took roughly 250 others hostage. —Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 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