holocaust

noun

ho·​lo·​caust ˈhō-lə-ˌkȯst 

ˈhä-,

 also  -ˌkäst,

 or  ˈhȯ-lə-kȯst

1

: a sacrifice (see sacrifice entry 1 sense 2) consumed by fire

2

: a thorough destruction involving extensive loss of life especially through fire

a nuclear holocaust

3

a

usually the Holocaust : the mass slaughter of European civilians and especially Jews by the Nazis during World War II

Several members of her family died in the Holocaust.

a Holocaust survivor

b

: a mass slaughter of people

especially : genocide

a holocaust in Rwanda

Synonyms

• conflagration
• fire
• inferno

Examples of holocaust in a Sentence

The museum is devoted to the Holocaust.

There were fears of a nuclear holocaust.

Recent Examples on the Web

Paul Hill, who was executed for gunning down a Florida clinic doctor and a volunteer in 1994, cited Bonhoeffer in viewing the attacks against clinics as a way of preventing a holocaust. —John Blake, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2025

What may do us in isn’t a meteor, a nuclear holocaust or a superpandemic. —Steve Forbes, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025

What may do us in isn’t a meteor, a nuclear holocaust or a superpandemic. —Steve Forbes, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025

But in the two or three minutes since his initial departure, the fiery holocaust had somehow become even more deadly. —Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin holocaustum, from Greek holokauston, from neuter of holokaustos burnt whole, from hol- + kaustos burnt, from kaiein to burn — more at caustic

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for holocaust

• permafrost
• accost
• crisscrossed
• defrost
• embossed
• exhaust
• recrossed
• uncrossed
• bossed
• cost
• crossed
• dost

Kids Definition

holocaust

noun

ho·​lo·​caust ˈhō-lə-ˌkȯst 

ˈhäl-ə-,

 also  -ˌkäst,

 or  ˈhȯ-lə-ˌkȯst

1

: a sacrifice destroyed by fire

2

: a thorough destruction especially by fire

3

a

often capitalized : the killing of European civilians and especially Jews by the Nazis during World War II

b

: genocide