Massacre
/ˈmæsəkər/
nounverbC2
Definition
A massacre is when a large number of people or animals are killed quickly and violently, usually unfairly or cruelly. It often refers to situations where the victims cannot defend themselves. As a verb, to massacre means to kill many in this harsh way.
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See It in Action
A large, violent killing of many people or animals
- •The village suffered a massacre during the war.
- •The massacre of the animals shocked the community.
- •Historians study massacres to understand past conflicts.
To kill many people or animals violently and cruelly
- •The soldiers massacred the civilians without mercy.
- •The invading army planned to massacre the town’s residents.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "massacre" like "kill" (A1 word), but much bigger and more violent—many victims, not just one
- ✓Picture a very sad scene where many animals or people are hurt at once, like in a story or news report about war or cruelty
- ✓It feels like a very bad event that causes sadness, fear, or shock because it is unfair and very cruel
- ✓Sounds like "MASS-uh-ker" → imagine a huge group ("mass") being hurt quickly and badly ("-ker" sounds sharp)
- ✓In history or movies, massacres are often shown as terrible moments when many innocent people suffer
- ✓NOT like "fight" (which can be equal and between two sides)—massacre is one side hurting many who cannot fight back
- ✓NOT like "accident" (unplanned)—massacre usually means a planned or deliberate act of violence
- ✓NOT like "battle" (a fight between armies)—massacre often means one side is much stronger and kills many defenseless victims
Try Other Words
- •Slaughter: killing many animals or people, often cruelly (Use when talking about cruel killing, especially of animals or during war)
- •Mass killing: general term for killing many people (Use in formal or neutral contexts)
- •Genocide: planned killing of a whole group of people (Use when killing is aimed at destroying a specific ethnic or cultural group)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "mass" (large group) + "-acre" (from Old French; related to killing or slaughter)
- •Etymology: From Old French "massacre," meaning "butchery" or "killing many"
- •Historical development: Used since the 1500s to describe brutal killings of many people or animals
- •Modern usage: Describes violent events where many are killed unfairly, often in war, crime, or cruelty
Reflect & Connect
•How does the word "massacre" affect the way we think about violence compared to just "killing"?
•Can the word "massacre" be used in non-violent situations, like sports or competitions? Why or why not?
Fill in the blanks
1.The massacre happened because the victims were ___ and could not defend themselves.
2.People feel ___ and shocked when they hear about a massacre.
3.Unlike a fair fight, a massacre usually involves one side being much ___ than the other.
4.The army planned to massacre the town’s residents, showing their ___ intent.
5.We often hear the phrase "massacre ___" to describe a very violent event.
6.After the massacre, the survivors were too scared to ___ again.
7.A massacre is different from a battle because it often lacks ___ between the sides.