holocaust Meaning & Definition
What Does Holocaust Mean?
Holocaust is used as a noun meaning An offering or sacrifice to a deity that is completely burned to ashes. It is also used to mean A complete or large offering or sacrifice. As a verb, it means To sacrifice (chiefly an animal) to be completely burned.
Holocaust: Key Facts
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈhɒl.ə(ʊ)ˌkɔːst/ |
| Syllables | 3 |
| Plural | holocausts |
| Verb forms | holocausts, holocausting, holocausted |
Holocaust Definition (Noun)
- An offering or sacrifice to a deity that is completely burned to ashes.
- A complete or large offering or sacrifice.
a nuclear holocaust
- Complete destruction by fire; also, the thing so destroyed.
- Extensive destruction of a group of animals or people; a large-scale massacre or slaughter.
a nuclear holocaust
- 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.
Holocaust as a Verb
- To sacrifice (chiefly an animal) to be completely burned.
- To destroy (something) completely, especially by fire.
- To subject (a group of people) to a holocaust (mass annihilation); to destroy en masse.
Synonyms of Holocaust
The source does not list synonyms for this entry.
Holocaust synonyms and antonyms →Holocaust in a Sentence
a nuclear holocaust
Word Forms & Grammar
holocaust (plural holocausts)
holocaust (third-person singular simple present holocausts, present participle holocausting, simple past and past participle holocausted)
Words That Rhyme With Holocaust
Origin of Holocaust
Origin 1: The noun is derived from Middle English holocaust (“burnt offering”) [and other forms],[1] 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-).[2][3] By surface analysis, holo- + -caust.
Origin 2: 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.
How Do You Say Holocaust?
Holocaust is pronounced /ˈhɒl.ə(ʊ)ˌkɔːst/ and has 3 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (hɒl).
Common Questions About Holocaust
Is holocaust a noun or a verb?
Holocaust is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is the plural of holocaust?
The plural of holocaust is holocausts.
What is the past tense of holocaust?
The past tense of holocaust is holocausted. The present participle is holocausting.