Genocide: meaning, definitions and examples
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genocide
[ ˈdʒɛnəsʌɪd ]
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.
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.