Meanings
slaughter1
nounslaughter (countable and uncountable, plural slaughters)
plural slaughters · alternative obsolete slaughtre
- uncountableThe killing of animals, generally for food.
- countableuncountableA massacre; the killing of a large number of people.
1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book VI, 1773, The First Six Books of Milton's Paradise Lost, Edinburgh, page 416, For ſin, on war and mutual ſlaughter bent.
1 more example
[…] I ſee Th’ Inſulting Tyrant prancing o’er the Field Strow’d with Rome’s Citizens, and drench’d in Slaughter, His Horſe’s Hoofs wet with Patrician Blood.
1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, pages 1-2 - countablerareuncountableA mass destruction of non-living things.
There was a massive slaughter of W.R. steam power at the conclusion of the summer timetable. In all, 169 locomotives were condemned.
1962 December, “Motive Power Miscellany: Western Region”, in Modern Railways, page 425 - countableuncountableA rout or decisive defeat.
verbslaughter (third-person singular simple present slaughters, present participle slaughtering, simple past and past participle slaughtered)
present singular third person slaughters · participle present slaughtering · participle past slaughtered · past slaughtered · alternative obsolete slaughtre
- transitiveTo butcher animals, generally for food.
- intransitivetransitiveTo massacre people in large numbers.
Hurriedly he snatched up others, one or two at a time, until he had slaughtered thirty of Hrothgar's doughtiest earls.
1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 21 - transitiveTo kill someone or something, especially in a particularly brutal manner.
Therefore cheere vp your mindes, prepare to fight, He that can take or ſlaughter Tamburlaine, Shall rule the Prouince of Albania.
c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene ii
Slaughter2
proper noun
- A surname.
- A town in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, United States, from the surname.
Slaughter3
proper noun
- Used in the placenames of the Slaughters, Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA group of iguanas.
Similar
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe savage and excessive killing of many people
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
slaughter · noun, verb
- Proto-Indo-European*slak-“to hit, strike, throw”
- Proto-Germanic*slahaną
- Proto-Germanic*slahtrą
- Old Norse*slahtr
- Middle Englishslaughter
- Englishslaughter
From Middle English slaughter, from Old Norse *slahtr, later sláttr, from Proto-Germanic *slahtrą, from Proto-Germanic *slahaną. Equivalent to slay + -ter (as in laughter). Eventually derived from Proto-Indo-European *slak- (“to hit, strike, throw”). Related with Dutch slachten, German schlachten, Finnish lahdata (all “to slaughter”).
More words from Middle English, Old Norse, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Slaughter · proper noun
Originally named for someone who slaughtered animals for food.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek σφαγή, σφάζω
- σφαγή (sphagḗ)killing of animals
- σφάζω (spházō)to butcher animals, generally for food
Arabic ذَبْح, مَذْبَحَة
- ذَبْح (ḏabḥ)killing of animals
- مَذْبَحَة (maḏbaḥa)killing of many people
- تَقْتِيل (taqtīl)killing of many people
- ذَبَحَ (ḏabaḥa)to butcher animals, generally for food
Basque akabatu
- akabatuto butcher animals, generally for food
Bengali হত্যা
- হত্যা (hotta)to butcher animals, generally for food
Bulgarian клане́, разгро́м
- клане́ (klané)killing of animals
- разгро́м (razgróm)a decisive defeat
- сеч (seč)killing of many people
- клане́ (klané)killing of many people
- коля (kolja)to butcher animals, generally for food
- избивам (izbivam)to massacre people in large numbers
Catalan matança, massacre
- matançakilling of many people
- massacrekilling of many people
Chinese Mandarin 屠宰, 宰殺 /宰杀
- 屠宰 (túzǎi)killing of animals
- 宰殺 /宰杀 (zǎishā)killing of animals
- 屠殺 /屠杀 (túshā)killing of many people
- 慘案 /惨案 (cǎn'àn)killing of many people
- 慘殺 /惨杀 (cǎnshā)killing of many people
- 殺戮 /杀戮 (shālù)killing of many people
Czech porážka, masakr
- porážkakilling of animals
- masakrkilling of many people
- porazitto butcher animals, generally for food
- porážetto butcher animals, generally for food
Danish slakt, slagtning
- slaktkilling of animals
- slagtningkilling of animals
- slagteto butcher animals, generally for food
Dutch slacht, slachtpartij
- slachtkilling of animals
- slachtpartijkilling of many people
- bloedbadkilling of many people
- afslachtingkilling of many people
- slachtento butcher animals, generally for food
- afslachtento massacre people in large numbers
- afslachtento kill in a particularly brutal manner
Esperanto masakro, buĉi
- masakrokilling of many people
- buĉito butcher animals, generally for food
Estonian tapatalg
- tapatalgkilling of many people
Finnish teurastus, lahti
- teurastuskilling of animals
- lahtikilling of animals
- lahtauskilling of animals
- teurastusa decisive defeat
- rökäletappioa decisive defeat
- teurastuskilling of many people
- joukkomurhakilling of many people
- verilöylykilling of many people
- lahtauskilling of many people
- teurastaato butcher animals, generally for food
- lahdatato butcher animals, generally for food
- teurastaato massacre people in large numbers
- lahdatato massacre people in large numbers
- teurastaato kill in a particularly brutal manner
- lahdatato kill in a particularly brutal manner
French abattage, carnage
- abattagekilling of animals
- carnagekilling of many people
- tueriekilling of many people
- massacrekilling of many people
- abattreto butcher animals, generally for food
- massacrerto massacre people in large numbers
- faire une tuerieto massacre people in large numbers
- massacrerto kill in a particularly brutal manner
- faire un carnageto kill in a particularly brutal manner
German Schlachtung, Schächtung
- Schlachtungkilling of animals
- Schächtungkilling of animals
- Keulungkilling of animals
- Notschlachtungkilling of animals
- Schlachtungkilling of many people
- Schlächtereikilling of many people
- Gemetzelkilling of many people
- Metzeleikilling of many people
- schlachtento butcher animals, generally for food
- schächtento butcher animals, generally for food
- keulento butcher animals, generally for food
- notschlachtento butcher animals, generally for food
- abschlachtento massacre people in large numbers
- massakrierento massacre people in large numbers
- niedermetzelnto massacre people in large numbers
- abschlachtento kill in a particularly brutal manner
- massakrierento kill in a particularly brutal manner
- niedermetzelnto kill in a particularly brutal manner
Greek σφαγή, σφαγή
- σφαγή (sfagí)killing of animals
- σφαγή (sfagí)a decisive defeat
- σφαγή (sfagí)killing of many people
- σφάζω (sfázo)to butcher animals, generally for food
- κατασφάζω (katasfázo)to massacre people in large numbers
- κατακρεουργώ (katakreourgó)to kill in a particularly brutal manner
Hawaiian pepehi, luku
- pepehito butcher animals, generally for food
- lukuto massacre people in large numbers
Hebrew שְׁחִיטָה, טֶבַח
- שְׁחִיטָה (sh'khitá)killing of animals
- טֶבַח (tévakh)killing of many people
- זָבַח (zavakh)to butcher animals, generally for food
Hindi वध
- वध (vadh)killing of animals
Hungarian mészárlás, mészárlás
- mészárláskilling of animals
- mészárláskilling of many people
- öldökléskilling of many people
Icelandic slátrun, slátra
- slátrunkilling of many people
- slátrato butcher animals, generally for food
- slátrato massacre people in large numbers
Irish ár, ár
- ára decisive defeat
- árkilling of many people
- eirleachkilling of many people
Italian mattanza, mattanza
- mattanzakilling of animals
- mattanzakilling of many people
- carneficinakilling of many people
- massacrokilling of many people
- macellareto butcher animals, generally for food
- massacrareto massacre people in large numbers
Japanese 屠殺, 殺生
- 屠殺 (tosatsu)killing of animals
- 殺生 (sesshō)killing of animals
- 虐殺 (gyakusatsu)killing of many people
- 惨殺 (zansatsu)killing of many people
- 殺戮 (satsuriku)killing of many people
- 屠る (hofuru)to butcher animals, generally for food
- ばらす (barasu)to butcher animals, generally for food
- 殺戮する (satsuriku suru)to massacre people in large numbers
- 殺戮する (satsuriku suru)to kill in a particularly brutal manner
Korean 학살
- 학살 (haksal)killing of many people
Latin nex, trucīdātiō
- nexkilling of animals
- trucīdātiōkilling of animals
- nexa decisive defeat
- trucīdātiōkilling of many people
- nexkilling of many people
- trucīdōto massacre people in large numbers
- trucīdōto kill in a particularly brutal manner
Latvian slaktiņš, nokaut
- slaktiņškilling of many people
- nokautto butcher animals, generally for food
Lithuanian žudynės, skerdynės
- žudynėskilling of many people
- skerdynėskilling of many people
- skerstito butcher animals, generally for food
Malay penyembelihan, sembelih
- penyembelihankilling of animals
- sembelihto butcher animals, generally for food
- sanggerahto butcher animals, generally for food
Māori hingahinga, parewhero
- hingahingakilling of many people
- parewherokilling of many people
- whakapikokilling of many people
- tārukengakilling of many people
- whārona awateakilling of many people
- parekurakilling of many people
- patuto butcher animals, generally for food
- whārona awateato massacre people in large numbers
- whakawhāronato massacre people in large numbers
Norwegian slakte, massakrere
- slakteto butcher animals, generally for food
- massakrereto massacre people in large numbers
- slakteto massacre people in large numbers
- slakteto kill in a particularly brutal manner
Norwegian Bokmål slakt, slakting
- slaktkilling of animals
- slaktingkilling of animals
- slaktkilling of many people
Polish ubój, pogrom
- ubójkilling of animals
- pogroma decisive defeat
- rzeźkilling of many people
- pogromkilling of many people
- masakrakilling of many people
- szlachtowaćto butcher animals, generally for food
- zaszlachtowaćto butcher animals, generally for food
- zarzynaćto butcher animals, generally for food
- rżnąćto butcher animals, generally for food
- zarżnąćto butcher animals, generally for food
- bićto butcher animals, generally for food
- masakrowaćto massacre people in large numbers
- zmasakrowaćto massacre people in large numbers
- masakrowaćto kill in a particularly brutal manner
- zmasakrowaćto kill in a particularly brutal manner
- zarzynaćto kill in a particularly brutal manner
- rżnąćto kill in a particularly brutal manner
Portuguese matança, massacre
- matançakilling of animals
- massacrea decisive defeat
- carnificinakilling of many people
- matançakilling of many people
- massacrekilling of many people
- chacinakilling of many people
- matarto butcher animals, generally for food
- abaterto butcher animals, generally for food
- exterminarto massacre people in large numbers
- massacrarto massacre people in large numbers
- massacrarto kill in a particularly brutal manner
Romanian abataj, măcel
- abatajkilling of animals
- măcelkilling of many people
- măcelărito butcher animals, generally for food
- tăiato butcher animals, generally for food
- omorîto butcher animals, generally for food
Russian убо́й, забо́й
- убо́й (ubój)killing of animals
- забо́й (zabój)killing of animals
- разгро́м (razgróm)a decisive defeat
- резня́ (reznjá)killing of many people
- ма́ссовое уби́йство (mássovoje ubíjstvo)killing of many people
- бо́йня (bójnja)killing of many people
- побо́ище (pobóišče)killing of many people
- распра́ва (raspráva)killing of many people
- погро́м (pogróm)killing of many people
- крова́вая ба́ня (krovávaja bánja)killing of many people
- мясору́бка (mjasorúbka)killing of many people
- кровопроли́тие (krovoprolítije)killing of many people
- ре́зать (rézatʹ)to butcher animals, generally for food
- зареза́ть (zarezátʹ)to butcher animals, generally for food
- заре́зать (zarézatʹ)to butcher animals, generally for food
- заби́ть (zabítʹ)to butcher animals, generally for food
- заколо́ть (zakolótʹ)to butcher animals, generally for food
- выреза́ть (vyrezátʹ)to massacre people in large numbers
- вы́резать (výrezatʹ)to massacre people in large numbers
- перере́зать (pererézatʹ)to massacre people in large numbers
- перестреля́ть (perestreljátʹ)to massacre people in large numbers
- истребля́ть (istrebljátʹ)to massacre people in large numbers
- истреби́ть (istrebítʹ)to massacre people in large numbers
- выка́шивать (vykášivatʹ)to massacre people in large numbers
Scottish Gaelic àr
- àrkilling of many people
Slovak zabitie, masaker
- zabitiekilling of animals
- masakerkilling of many people
- masakrakilling of many people
Spanish matanza, escabechina
- matanzakilling of animals
- escabechinaa decisive defeat
- matanzakilling of many people
- masacrekilling of many people
- carniceríakilling of many people
- matarto butcher animals, generally for food
- carnearto butcher animals, generally for food
- masacrarto massacre people in large numbers
- masacrarto kill in a particularly brutal manner
- matarto kill in a particularly brutal manner
- carnearto kill in a particularly brutal manner
Swahili uchinjaji
- uchinjajikilling of animals
Swedish slakt, massaker
- slaktkilling of animals
- massakerkilling of many people
- slaktkilling of many people
- slaktato butcher animals, generally for food
- slaktato massacre people in large numbers
- slaktato kill in a particularly brutal manner
Tagalog sumbali
- sumbalito butcher animals, generally for food
Turkish kesim, katletme
- kesimkilling of animals
- katletmekilling of many people
- katliamkilling of many people
- kesmekto butcher animals, generally for food
- katletmekto massacre people in large numbers
- katletmekto kill in a particularly brutal manner
Ukrainian забі́й, різня́
- забі́й (zabíj)killing of animals
- різня́ (riznjá)killing of many people
- різани́на (rizanýna)killing of many people
- бо́йня (bójnja)killing of many people
- маса́кра (masákra)killing of many people
- рі́зати (rízaty)to butcher animals, generally for food
- зарі́зати (zarízaty)to butcher animals, generally for food
Urdu ذَبْح
- ذَبْح (zabh)killing of animals
Yiddish הריגה
- הריגה (harige)killing of many people
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with slaughter
All rhymes →Sounds the same
slotter (cot–caught merger)slotter (cot–caught merger)
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
slaughter. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/slaughter
MLA
“slaughter.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/slaughter. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “slaughter,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/slaughter.
Source: slaughter on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.