Word
massacre
Phoneticsmas·sacre
US/ˈmæsəkɝ/
UK/mˈæsəkɐ/
Definitions
01killing of many people
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the cruel killing of a large number of people, especially those who cannot defend themselves.
n. the indiscriminate and brutal slaughter of many people, typically involving victims who are unarmed or unable to resist.
“The history book described a terrible massacre that took place during the war.”
“International observers called for an immediate investigation into the massacre of civilians in the occupied territory.”
Usage
Often used with the definite article when referring to a specific historical event.
02a heavy defeat
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Sports Informal
n. a situation where one team or person is beaten very badly in a game or competition.
n. an overwhelming or humiliating defeat in a sporting contest or competitive event.
“The final score was 8-0, and the local newspapers called the game a massacre.”
“What was expected to be a close championship final turned into a complete massacre as the defending champions dominated every aspect of play.”
03to kill many people
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to kill a lot of people in a violent and cruel way.
v. to kill a large number of people indiscriminately and with great brutality.
“The soldiers were accused of massacring innocent villagers during the conflict.”
“The documentary explores the tragic events of the night when retreating forces massacred hundreds of protesters in the square.”
Usage
This is a transitive verb and requires a direct object.
04to perform very poorly
C1 · Advanced Informal · Humorous
v. to perform a piece of music or a play so badly that you ruin it.
v. to perform a creative work, such as a musical composition or dramatic script, with such incompetence that its quality is destroyed.
“I tried to sing my favorite song at karaoke, but I completely massacred it.”
“The critics were merciless, claiming the amateur troupe had massacred the Shakespearean classic with their wooden acting and poor timing.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “massacre” in context.
Verb
01. halt the massacre
“Diplomatic efforts were intensified in a desperate bid to halt the massacre of innocent villagers.”
verb + noun
02. perpetrate a massacre
“The international tribunal sought to prosecute those who perpetrated the massacre against unarmed civilians.”
verb + noun
03. survive the massacre
“Only a handful of soldiers managed to survive the massacre after their unit was ambushed.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. bloody massacre
“The history books describe the event as a bloody massacre that changed the course of the war.”
adj + noun
05. indiscriminate massacre
“The indiscriminate massacre of non-combatants was condemned as a war crime by the United Nations.”
adj + noun
06. wholesale massacre
“The environmental group warned that the new policy would lead to a wholesale massacre of local wildlife.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. massacre of the innocents
“The poet wrote a moving elegy regarding the tragic massacre of the innocents during the siege.”
noun + of + noun
08. site of the massacre
“A permanent memorial was erected at the site of the massacre to honor the victims.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“The Myanmar army massacred thousands of them, raped Rohingya women and burned their villages.” “They besieged the main city of Sarajevo with the deaths of more than 10,000 people, and carried out the massacre of 8,000 men and boys at Srebrenica.” “A general during the Balkan wars of the 1990s, he was convicted in the killing of some 8,000 Muslims at Srebrenica, Europe’s deadliest massacre since World War II.” “This 1863 Massacre Was the Deadliest Slaughter of Native Americans in U.S.” Etymology
1580, from Middle French massacre, from Old French macacre, marcacre, macecre, macecle (“slaughterhouse, butchery”), usually thought to be deverbal from Old French macecrer, macecler (“to slaughter”), though the noun seems to be attested somewhat earlier. It is also found in Medieval Latin mazacrium (“massacre, slaughter, killing”, also “the head of a newly killed stag”). Further origin disputed: * From Latin macellum (“butcher shop”). From Vulgar Latin matteuculāre, from *matteuca (cf. massue), from Late Latin mattea, mattia, from Latin mateola. From Middle Low German matskelen (“to massacre”) (compare German metzeln (“massacre”)), frequentative of matsken, matzgen (“to cut, hew”), from Proto-West Germanic maitan, from Proto-Germanic maitaną (“to cut”), from Proto-Indo-European *mei- (“small”). Akin to Old High German meizan (“to cut”) among others. * Note also Arabic مَجْزَرَة (majzara), originally “spot where animals are slaughtered”, now also “massacre”, and in Maghrebi Arabic “slaughterhouse”. Derived from جَزَرَ (jazara, “to cut, slaughter”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
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