abattoir

What it means

1. A public slaughterhouse for cattle, sheep, etc.First known use Early 19ᵗʰ century.

   Once the cows reach maturity, they're sent to the abattoir.

2. figurativelyA place or event of great carnage or bloodshed.

   The army's raid on the enemy turned into a major abattoir.

   2 more examples

   The corridors where North Korean troops would be advancing [in a hypothetical invasion of South Korea] would almost certainly be turned into human abattoirs.

   2017 April 19, Franz-Stefan Gady, “What Would the Second Korean War Look Like?”, in The Diplomat

   “Now, down here we have the medium security cells and the various abattoirs. Be sure to reserve your spot on the sign-in sheet 'cause the abattoirs get crazy busy.”

   2021 September 2, Sam Johnson & Chris Marcil, “The Cloak of Duplication” (1:58 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows, season 3, episode 2, spoken by The Guide (Kristen Schaal)

   Synonyms: bloodbath

In a sentence

Once the cows reach maturity, they're sent to the abattoir.

Where it comes from

1. Frenchabattoir
2. Englishabattoir

Borrowed from French abattoir, from abattre (“to slaughter”) (cognate to abate) + -oir (“-ory”).

First known use: Early 19ᵗʰ century.