Holocaust

Quick meaning: Holocaust is a noun meaning (religion) An offering or sacrifice to a deity that is completely burned to ashes.

Meaning

(religion) An offering or sacrifice to a deity that is completely burned to ashes.

More Meanings

1. A complete or large offering or sacrifice.
2. Complete destruction by fire; also, the thing so destroyed.
3. Extensive destruction of a group of animals or (especially) people; a large-scale massacre or slaughter.
4. (religion, also figuratively) To sacrifice (chiefly an animal) to be completely burned.
5. To destroy (something) completely, especially by fire.
6. To subject (a group of people) to a holocaust (mass annihilation); to destroy en masse.
7. Alternative letter-case form of Holocaust (“the systematic mass murder (democide or genocide) of Jews (and, more broadly, of disabled people, homosexuals, Romanis, Slavs, and others) perpetrated by Nazi Germany shortly before and during World War II”); hence, the state-sponsored mass murder of a particular group of people in society.

Example Sentences

a nuclear holocaust

The hut was a holocaust; men fighting their way out howled and coughed on smoke.

Inſnar'd ſhe was in Shechems Treachery, / And, ſilly Mayden, ſuddenly became / An Holocauſt to Luſts unhappy Flame.

A horrible holocaust occurred near Hollow Rock, in Benton County, about 7 o'clock last night. The residence of William F. Flowers was consumed by fire.

Word Forms

• holocausts
• holocausting
• holocausted

Synonyms for holocaust

Depending on context, synonyms include hecatomb.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include offering, marge, genocide, disaster, catastrophe, massacre.

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