butcher

1 of 2

noun

butch·​er ˈbu̇-chər 

1

a

: a person who slaughters animals or dresses their flesh

b

: a dealer in meat

2

: one that kills ruthlessly or brutally

3

: one that bungles or botches

4

: a vendor especially on trains or in theaters

butcher

2 of 2

verb

butchered; butchering ˈbu̇-chə-riŋ 

ˈbu̇ch-

transitive verb

1

: to slaughter and dress for market

butcher hogs

2

: to kill in a barbarous manner

3

: botch

butchered the play

Synonyms

Noun

• blunderer
• incompetent

Verb

• slaughter

Examples of butcher in a Sentence

Noun

the newest intern on the campaign is a butcher when it comes to writing press releases

Verb

They've hired someone to butcher the hogs.

Many innocent people were butchered under his regime.

The band has butchered my favorite song.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The modern space includes stainless-steel appliances and sleek white cabinetry, with a butcher’s block island smack-dab in the center. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 14 July 2025

The butchers employed an electrical stunner that resembles a pair of barbecue tongs. —Bennet Goldstein, jsonline.com, 4 July 2025

Verb

According to prosecutors, Manson ordered his disciples to butcher some of LA’s rich and famous to trigger a race war. —Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2025

Research has even proposed that the ability to butcher meat may have caused early humans to evolve smaller teeth and jaws than their chimpanzee relatives, who could easily gnaw on tough foods. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 3 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bocher, from Anglo-French, from buc he-goat, probably of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Irish bocc he-goat — more at buck entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing butcher

• butcher-bird
• butcher block
• butcher paper
• have/take a butcher's

Kids Definition

butcher

1 of 2 noun

butch·​er ˈbu̇ch-ər 

1

a

: one whose business is killing animals for sale as food

b

: a dealer in meat

2

: a person who kills in large numbers or in a brutal manner

butcher

2 of 2 verb

butchered; butchering -(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to slaughter and prepare for market

butcher hogs

2

: to kill in a barbarous manner : massacre

3

: to make a mess of : botch

butchered the performance