slaughter
UK: ˈslɔːtə | US: ˈslɔːtər
n. the killing of animals for food; the brutal killing of a large number of people
vt. to kill animals for food; to kill people violently and in large numbers
The word "slaughter" traces back to Old Norse slátr, meaning "butchery" or "meat." It entered Middle English as slahtre, evolving to denote both the killing of animals for food and mass violent killings of people. The modern spelling reflects phonetic shifts, with the original Norse root obscured but preserved in the core meaning of violent killing. The suffix "-ter" no longer carries clear semantic weight, making the word morphologically opaque today.
The slaughter of cattle must follow strict hygiene regulations.
The battlefield was a scene of unimaginable slaughter.
Protesters condemned the slaughter of endangered species.
The novel depicts the slaughter of innocent villagers during the war.
Modern slaughter methods aim to minimize animal suffering.