slaughter meaning and definition

SLAUGHTER noun

Definition of slaughter (noun)

1. the killing of animals (as for food)
2. a sound defeat
   • synonyms: debacle, drubbing, thrashing, trouncing, walloping, whipping
3. the savage and excessive killing of many people
   • synonyms: butchery, carnage, mass murder, massacre

SLAUGHTER verb

Definition of slaughter (verb)

1. kill (animals) usually for food consumption
   • "They slaughtered their only goat to survive the winter"
   • synonyms: butcher
2. kill a large number of people indiscriminately
   • "The Hutus massacred the Tutsis in Rwanda"
   • synonyms: massacre, mow down