massacre
See also: massacré
Contents
EnglishEdit
Alternative formsEdit
- massacer (archaic)
EtymologyEdit
1580, from Middle French massacre, of disputed origin:
- From Latin macellum (“butcher shop”).
- From Old French macecrer, macecler, from Vulgar Latin *matteuculāre, from *matteuca (cf. massue), from Late Latin mattea, from Latin mateola.
- From Old French macacre, macecle (“slaughterhouse, butchery”), from Medieval Latin mazacrium (“massacre, slaughter, killing”, also “the head of a newly killed stag”), from Middle Low German *matskelen (“to massacre”) (compare German metzeln (“massacre”)), frequentive of matsken, matzgen (“to cut, hew”), from Proto-Germanic *maitaną (“to cut”), from Proto-Indo-European *mei- (“small”). Akin to Old High German meizan (“to cut”) among others.
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
massacre (plural massacres)
- The killing of a considerable number (usually limited to people) where little or no resistance can be made, with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and contrary to civilized norms.
- 1592, William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus, Act I, Scene v:
- I'll find a day to massacre them all,
And raze their faction and their family
- I'll find a day to massacre them all,
- 1592, William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus, Act I, Scene v:
- (obsolete) Murder.
- 1593, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Richard the Third
- The tyrannous and bloody act is done,—
The most arch deed of piteous massacre
That ever yet this land was guilty of.
- The tyrannous and bloody act is done,—
- 1593, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Richard the Third
- (figuratively) Any overwhelming defeat, as in a game or sport.
HyponymsEdit
SynonymsEdit
- (mass killing contrary to civilized norms): butchery, slaughter (in the manner of livestock); decimation (strictly an orderly selection of ⅒ of a group for slaughter; see its entry for other terms concerning other ratios)
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
intentional mass killing
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VerbEdit
massacre (third-person singular simple present massacres, present participle massacring, simple past and past participle massacred)
- (transitive) To kill in considerable numbers where little or no resistance can be made, with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and contrary to civilized norms. (Often limited to the killing of human beings.)
- 1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History Of England From the Accession of James II
- If James should be pleased to massacre them all, as Maximilian had massacred the Theban legion
- 1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History Of England From the Accession of James II
- (figuratively) To win so decisively it is in the manner of so slaughtering one's opponent.
- (figuratively) To give a performance so poorly it is in the manner of so slaughtering the musical piece, play, &c. being performed.
TranslationsEdit
to kill in considerable numbers
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FrenchEdit
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
massacre m (plural massacres)
VerbEdit
massacre
- first-person singular present indicative of massacrer
- third-person singular present indicative of massacrer
- first-person singular present subjunctive of massacrer
- first-person singular present subjunctive of massacrer
- second-person singular imperative of massacrer
AnagramsEdit
External linksEdit
- “massacre” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Middle FrenchEdit
EtymologyEdit
Of disputed origin:
- From Latin macellum (“butcher shop”).
- From Old French macecrer, macecler, from Vulgar Latin *matteuculāre, from *matteuca (cf. massue), from Late Latin mattea.
- From Old French macacre, macecle (“slaughterhouse, butchery”), from Medieval Latin mazacrium (“massacre, slaughter, killing”, also “the head of a newly killed stag”), from Middle Low German *matskelen (“to massacre”) (compare German metzeln (“massacre”)), frequentive of matsken, matzgen (“to cut, hew”), from Proto-Germanic *maitaną (“to cut”), from Proto-Indo-European *mei- (“small”). Akin to Old High German meizan (“to cut”) among others.
NounEdit
massacre m (plural massacres)