massacre
About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.


1mas·sa·cre

noun \ˈma-si-kər\

Definition of MASSACRE

1
: the act or an instance of killing a number of usually helpless or unresisting human beings under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty
2
: a cruel or wanton murder
3
: a wholesale slaughter of animals
4
: an act of complete destruction <the author's massacre of traditional federalist presuppositions — R. G. McCloskey>

Examples of MASSACRE

  1. The game turned out to be a complete massacre.
  2. <the infamous massacre of more than 200 Sioux at Wounded Knee, South Dakota>

Origin of MASSACRE

Middle French
First Known Use: circa 1578

2massacre

transitive verb
mas·sa·credmas·sa·cring \-k(ə-)riŋ\

Definition of MASSACRE

1
: to kill by massacre
2
: mangle 2 <words were misspelled and syntax massacred — Bice Clemow>
mas·sa·crer \-kər-ər, -krər\ noun

Examples of MASSACRE

  1. Hundreds have been massacred in the uprising.
  2. The other team really massacred us on Saturday.
  3. He really massacred that song.

First Known Use of MASSACRE

1581

Browse

Next Word in the Dictionary: massage (noun)
Previous Word in the Dictionary: Massachusett
All Words Near: massacre

Seen & Heard

What made you want to look up massacre? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Name That Thing

Take Our 10-Question Quiz

Get Our Free Apps
Voice Search, Favorites,
Word of the Day, and More
Join Us on FB & Twitter
Get the Word of the Day and More