butcherly

adjective

butch·er·ly ˈbu̇-chər-lē

Synonyms of butcherly next

next

: resembling a butcher : savage

Examples of butcherly in a Sentence

Genghis Khan and his butcherly horde even massacred the livestock of the villages they overran.

Word History

First Known Use

1513, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of butcherly was in 1513

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Butcherly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/butcherly. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

enigmatic

Listen to the pronunciation of enigmatic

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Buck Naked' or 'Butt Naked'?

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?

Popular in Wordplay

More Words with Remarkable Origins

The Words of the Week - Dec. 5

17 Words for Dog Breeds

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

Popular

'Buck Naked' or 'Butt Naked'?

More Words with Remarkable Origins

The Words of the Week - Dec. 5