Slaughter: meaning, definitions and examples

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slaughter

 

[ ˈslɔːtə ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

animal farming

The killing of animals for food; butchery.

Synonyms

butchery, carnage, massacre

Examples of usage

  • Slaughter of livestock is a common practice in the meat industry.
  • The slaughter of pigs is typically done in a slaughterhouse.
Context #2 | Verb

violent killing

To kill (people or animals) in a violent way, typically in large numbers.

Synonyms

kill, mass murder, massacre

Examples of usage

  • The soldiers proceeded to slaughter the enemy troops.
  • The massacre in the village resulted in the slaughter of innocent civilians.

Translations

Translations of the word "slaughter" in other languages:

🇵🇹 abate

🇮🇳 वध

🇩🇪 Schlachtung

🇮🇩 penyembelihan

🇺🇦 забій

🇵🇱 ubój

🇯🇵 屠殺 (とさつ)

🇫🇷 abattage

🇪🇸 matanza

🇹🇷 katliam

🇰🇷 도살 (dosal)

🇸🇦 ذبح

🇨🇿 porážka

🇸🇰 porážka

🇨🇳 屠宰 (túzǎi)

🇸🇮 klanje

🇮🇸 slátrun

🇰🇿 қорым

🇬🇪 მკვლელობა

🇦🇿 kəsmə

🇲🇽 matanza

Word origin

The word 'slaughter' originated from the Old Norse word 'slátr', meaning 'butchery'. The term has been used for centuries to refer to the killing of animals for food and, by extension, to violent killing in general. Slaughter has been a common practice in human history, with the development of slaughterhouses and more efficient butchery methods over time.

See also: manslaughter, slaughterhouse.

Word Frequency Rank

At #7,268 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.