slaughter English · revision 15452

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1300}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈslɔːtə/ ''(UK)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|slauhter]], [[bor|non|*slahtr]], compare [[m|non|slátr|t=butchering, butcher's meat]] and [[m|non|slátra|t=to slaughter]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(Cresswell 2021) related to [[m|non|slá|t=to strike]] (see [[slay]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from [[gem-pro|*slahtiz]],^(Barnhart 1988) cognate with [[got|𐍃𐌻𐌰𐌿𐌷𐍄𐍃|tr=slaúhts]] and [[nl|slacht]].^(Barnhart 1988) The form was perhaps influenced by the native cognate slaught, from Old English [[m|ang|sleaht]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The killing of a person, and the killing of large numbers in battle: before 1300 in Barnhart and the OED, about 1300 in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The killing of cattle or sheep for food is from the mid-14th century in Etymonline, before 1300 in the OED.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Slaughterhouse is from about 1374.^(Barnhart 1988) The verb, to butcher animals, is from the 1530s, in Coverdale's Bible (1535),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and to kill people ruthlessly or in great numbers from the 1580s.^(Etymonline) In informal use a slaughter is also a crushing defeat.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1300 – a killing; a massacre.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1374 – slaughterhouse.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1535 – to slaughter (verb).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1580s – to massacre.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The killing of animals for food.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The brutal killing of large numbers of people; a [[massacre]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(informal)'' A heavy defeat.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To kill animals for food; to [[butcher]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To kill people brutally or in great numbers.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(informal)'' To defeat heavily.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[slaughterer]]

+ * [[slaughterous]]

+ * [[slaughteringly]]

+ * [[self-slaughtered]]

+ * [[unslaughtered]]

+ * [[manslaughter]]

+ * [[self-slaughter]]

+ * [[slaughterhouse]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[slay]]

+ * [[sledge]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In Essex dialect a slaughter was a great alteration involving some destruction, as in repairing an old house.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}