Slaughter
/ˈslɔːtər/
nounverbB2
Definition
Slaughter is the act of killing animals, usually for food, or killing many people or animals in a violent way. It often refers to large numbers being killed, not just one or two. The word can be used as a noun (the event or act) or a verb (to do the killing).
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⚡ See It in Action
The killing of many animals for food
- •The slaughter of cows happens in meat processing plants.
- •Farmers prepare for the slaughter of animals before holidays.
- •The slaughter must be done quickly and humanely (kindly) in the factory.
The violent killing of many people or animals, often in war or crime
- •The battle ended in the slaughter of thousands of soldiers.
- •The news reported a slaughter during the war.
- •Many innocent people were victims of the slaughter.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "slaughter" like "kill" (A1 word), but for many animals or people at once, and often in a rough or violent way
- ✓Picture a large group of animals or people being killed quickly, not gently or one by one
- ✓It's the feeling of a very sad or serious event where many lives end suddenly
- ✓Sounds like "slaw-ter" → imagine a loud, harsh sound like something being cut or broken quickly and strongly
- ✓Think of stories or movies about battles or farms where animals are prepared for food by being killed in large numbers
- ✓NOT like "hunt" (which means to chase and catch animals), "slaughter" means the actual killing part, often after hunting or capturing
- ✓NOT like "kill" (can be one or few), "slaughter" usually means many at once, or a very violent killing
- ✓NOT like "butcher" (a person who cuts meat), "slaughter" is the act of killing before meat preparation
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Massacre: violent killing of many people or animals (Use when emphasizing cruelty and many victims)
- •Cull: to kill animals to reduce their number (Use when killing is controlled and for a purpose, like managing a population)
- •Butchery: the act of cutting meat, sometimes used for violent killing (Use when focusing on cutting or violent killing)
- •Execution: killing someone by legal or official order (Use when killing is official and planned)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix, base word "slaughter")
- •Etymology: From Old English "slahter," meaning killing or butchering animals
- •Historical development: Originally related to killing animals for food, later used for violent killing of many people or animals
- •Modern usage: Used in farming, war, crime reports, and sometimes metaphorically for heavy defeat or destruction
- •Important note: The word often has a strong and serious feeling because it involves many deaths or violence
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How does the word "slaughter" change your feelings compared to just "kill" when you hear it in news or stories?
•Can the word "slaughter" be used in non-literal ways, like in sports or games? How would that change its meaning?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The slaughter of animals in the factory must follow rules to be ___ and fast.
2.After the battle, the soldiers saw the ___ of many comrades and enemies.
3.Unlike a simple kill, slaughter usually means many lives are ___ at once.
4.The farmer prepared for the slaughter ___ the holiday season.
5.The word slaughter sounds harsh because it often describes violent or ___ events.
6.When people talk about a slaughter in war, they usually mean a ___ loss of life.
7.Slaughter is different from hunting because it focuses on the ___ part, not the chase or capture.