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

• inferno
• fire

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

In his director’s statement, the filmmaker reveals that the historical drama mines from his own family’s trauma, linking the effects that both the holocaust and the rise in communism in Hungary had on him and his loved ones. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2025

In the holocaust of the South Bronx, lighting a match could seem like just hastening the inevitable. —Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025

Apocalypse, holocaust, and the fascistic desire to dominate. —Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025

Those souls who, through miracles, unlikely coincidences, or pure dumb luck somehow survived the nuclear holocaust and lived to tell their tales. —Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 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