Slaughter

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈslɔːtÉ™/
• Rhymes: -ɔːtÉ™(ɹ)
• US IPA: /ˈslÉ”tɝ/
• cot-caught IPA: /ˈslÉ‘tɝ/

Alternative forms

• slaughtre obsolete

Origin

From Old Norse slátr, from Proto-Germanic *slahtiz.

Full definition of slaughter

Noun

1. (uncountable) The killing of animals, generally for food; ritual slaughter (kosher and halal).
2. A massacre; the killing of a large number of people.
• Miltonon war and mutual slaughter bent
3. A rout or decisive defeat.

Derived terms

• kosher slaughter
• lamb to the slaughter/like a lamb to the slaughter/come like a lamb to the slaughter
• manslaughter
• ritual slaughter
• slaughterer
• slaughterhouse
• slaughterman
• slaughterous

Verb

1. (transitive) To butcher animals, generally for food
2. (transitive) To massacre people in large numbers
3. (transitive) To kill in a particularly brutal manner

Anagrams

• laughters, lethargus