Word
holocaust
Phoneticsholo·caust
US/ˈhɑɫəˌkɔst/
UK/hˈɒləkˌɔːst/
Definitions
01the Nazi genocide
n. the systematic murder of millions of Jews and other groups by the Nazi government during World War II.
n. The systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime. Usually capitalized as 'the Holocaust'.
“Students visited the museum to learn about the history of the Holocaust.”
“The Holocaust remains a central subject of study in modern European history, serving as a stark reminder of the consequences of unchecked hatred and state-sponsored violence.”
Synonyms
02mass destruction
n. a very large-scale destruction of life, especially one caused by fire or nuclear war.
n. Extensive destruction or loss of life, especially on a mass scale; often used to describe the potential results of nuclear conflict.
“Many people feared that a nuclear war would lead to a global holocaust.”
“Environmentalists warned that the rapid deforestation of the region would result in a biological holocaust for local species.”
Formal
Synonyms
03burnt offering
n. a religious sacrifice that is completely destroyed by fire.
n. A sacrificial offering that is entirely consumed by flames. Historically used in ancient religious contexts.
“The ancient text describes a holocaust offered to the gods.”
“The ritual required a perfect animal for the holocaust, ensuring the entire offering was reduced to ashes upon the altar.”
Archaic · Technical
Usage
In this technical sense, the word is often used in biblical or historical studies.
Real-World Examples
“His parents were Polish Jews who survived the camps but lost most of their family, including their first-born son, Richieu, during the Holocaust.” “A Jewish artist publicly critical of Hitler, Eichenberg recalls having “ only a vague foreboding ” about the coming Holocaust.” Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English holocaust (“burnt offering”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman holocauste, Old French holocauste, olocauste (modern French holocaust), from Late Latin holocaustum, from Ancient Greek ὁλόκαυστον (holókauston), the neuter form of ὁλόκαυστος (holókaustos, “wholly burnt”), from ὅλος (hólos, “entire, whole”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European solh₂- (“whole”)) + καυστός (kaustós, “burnt”) (from καίω (kaíō, “to burn, burn up”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European keh₂w-). The verb is derived from the noun. As regards verb sense 3 (“to subject (a group of people) to a holocaust”), compare the use of genocide as a verb.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/holocaust