slaughter

1 of 3

noun (1)

slaugh·​ter ˈslȯ-tər 

1

: the act of killing

specifically : the butchering of livestock for market

2

: killing of great numbers of human beings (as in battle or a massacre) : carnage

slaughter

2 of 3

verb

slaughtered; slaughtering; slaughters

transitive verb

1

: to kill (animals) for food : butcher

2

a

: to kill in a bloody or violent manner : slay

b

: to kill in large numbers : massacre

3

: to discredit, defeat, or demolish completely

slaughterer

ˈslȯ-tər-ər 

noun

slaughterer

3 of 3

noun (2)

slaugh·​ter·​er -ȯtərə(r) 

-ȯtər-

plural -s

: one that slaughters: such as

a

: killer

b

: butcher, meat-packer

called also slaughterman

Synonyms of slaughter

Noun (1)

• massacre

Verb

• massacre
• murder

Examples of slaughter in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the slaughter of innocent people

all civilized nations should protest this senseless slaughter

Verb

Our team got slaughtered yesterday.

modern poultry farms slaughter a vast number of chickens every day

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Fulda all but ditches his ambitious partner Chaton (Vincent Dedienne), in order to team up with Stéphane to get to the bottom of the endless pig-slaughter, and to put paid to the local superstition that Brun’s ghost may be the culprit. —Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 June 2026

The coup ended with the slaughter or imprisonment of most of its participants. —Ben Taub, New Yorker, 15 June 2026

Verb

The Islamic Republic has slaughtered demonstrators at random before. —Laura Secor, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026

Navajo people had their sheep–their food supply and source of income–slaughtered by the federal government. —Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse slātra to slaughter; akin to Old English sleaht slaughter, slēan to slay — more at slay

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing slaughter

• like a lamb to the slaughter
• pre-slaughter
• self-slaughter

Rhymes for slaughter

• auteur
• blotter
• cotter
• daughter
• hotter
• mater
• otter
• plotter
• rotter
• spotter
• squatter
• totter

Kids Definition

slaughter

1 of 2 noun

slaugh·​ter ˈslȯt-ər 

1

: the act of killing

especially : the butchering of livestock for market

2

: destruction of human lives in large numbers (as in war or a massacre)

slaughter

2 of 2 verb

1

: to kill an animal for food : butcher

2

: to kill without mercy or in large numbers : massacre

slaughterer

ˈslȯt-ər-ər 

noun