abattoir

noun

ab·​at·​toir ˈa-bə-ˌtwär How to pronounce abattoir (audio)
-ˌtwȯr,
-ˌtȯr
plural abattoirs
: a place where animals are butchered : slaughterhouse
Mr. Foley worked previously at a pig abattoir and reckoned he was beyond such queasiness.Tony Horwitz
Bulls are precious, a good one fetching $400 or more at the abattoirPeter Meredith

Examples of abattoir in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Mark Harvey-Sutton, CEO of the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council, said any animals taken off the boat would be placed into quarantine before being re-exported or killed in an Australian abattoir. Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 31 Jan. 2024 The government should stop them Jan. 24, 2023 Industry has predictably squealed like pigs on the way to the abattoir. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2023 Adams has blasted reforms de Blasio supported, both big and small: His attempts to close the abattoir of Rikers Island and install a modicum of police reforms have come under derision, as has his leadership of the city itself. Max Rivlin-Nadler, The New Republic, 27 Oct. 2023 Just as creepy to me was the mural on the Farmer John slaughterhouse in Vernon, a bucolic panorama of happy piglets gamboling with kids and sleeping under shady trees — a gory dissonance to the daily assembly-line killing of thousands of pigs inside the abattoir. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2023 Now that Congress has created one, the drug companies are squealing like pigs being led to the abattoir. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2023 Grammy-winning songwriter Diane Warren and others donated money and time so that the two were spared a trip to the abattoir and instead went to animal advocacy group Farm Sanctuary, which runs a 40-acre rescue ranch in Acton, on the edge of the Antelope Valley. Gustavo Arellano, Star Tribune, 22 July 2021 When a beloved cow stops being useful to the herd, it’s taken to the abattoir for slaughter. Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2022 In the evenings, people gather at bars such as Salhane, a former abattoir painted a hue of lemon-yellow that faces both sea and castle, to enjoy glasses of local wine or a few cocktails. CNN, 4 Nov. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'abattoir.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from stem of abattre "to strike down, slaughter" + -oir -ory entry 1 — more at abate

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of abattoir was in 1809

Dictionary Entries Near abattoir

Cite this Entry

“Abattoir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abattoir. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

abattoir

noun
ab·​at·​toir ˈab-ə-ˌtwär How to pronounce abattoir (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on abattoir

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!