Genocide: meaning, definitions and examples

⚔️
Add to dictionary

genocide

 

[ ˈdʒɛnəsʌɪd ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

history

The deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group.

Synonyms

extermination, holocaust, massacre

Examples of usage

  • The genocide of the Armenian population by the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
  • The Holocaust, a genocide committed by the Nazis during World War II.
Context #2 | Noun

law

The international crime of deliberately killing a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group.

Synonyms

atrocities, ethnic cleansing, mass murder

Examples of usage

  • The International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over cases of genocide.

Translations

Translations of the word "genocide" in other languages:

🇵🇹 genocídio

🇮🇳 नरसंहार

🇩🇪 Völkermord

🇮🇩 genosida

🇺🇦 геноцид

🇵🇱 ludobójstwo

🇯🇵 ジェノサイド

🇫🇷 génocide

🇪🇸 genocidio

🇹🇷 soykırım

🇰🇷 집단 학살

🇸🇦 إبادة جماعية

🇨🇿 genocida

🇸🇰 genocída

🇨🇳 种族灭绝

🇸🇮 genocid

🇮🇸 þjóðarmorð

🇰🇿 геноцид

🇬🇪 გენოციდი

🇦🇿 soyqırım

🇲🇽 genocidio

Word origin

The term 'genocide' was coined by Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-Jewish lawyer, in 1944. It combines the Greek word 'genos' (race, tribe) with the Latin word 'cide' (killing). Lemkin defined genocide as a coordinated plan to destroy the essential foundations of the life of a group. The concept of genocide has since been enshrined in international law through the United Nations Genocide Convention of 1948.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #13,484, this word is part of sophisticated English vocabulary. It's useful for academic or professional contexts where precise language is needed.