massacre
/ˈmæsəkər/
noun
Origin
Latin
mattucare — to butcher
Overview
Meaning Now
- The indiscriminate and brutal slaughter of many people.
- A crushing defeat in a contest or sport.
Literal older meaning
butchery
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
massacre
Earliest period
late 16th century
Journey
The term originally denoted the literal act of butchering animals, specifically referring to the slaughterhouse or shambles. By the late 16th century, it was adopted into English to describe violent mass killings of humans, often in a military or genocidal context.
Evolution
- Late Latin
mattucare
“to slaughter”
likely from *mattus* (mutilated)
- Old French
maçacre
“butchery, slaughterhouse”
- Middle English
massacre
“slaughter”
entered through French influence
Connections
Related across languages
French
slaughter
Explore next
Related to massacre
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.