A holocaust is an event in which there is a lot of destruction and many people are killed, especially one caused by war.
A nuclear holocaust seemed a very real possibility in the '50s.
Synonyms: devastation, destruction, carnage, genocide More Synonyms of holocaust
2. singular noun
The Holocaust is used to refer to the killing by the Nazis of millions of Jews during the Second World War.
...an Israeli-based fund for survivors of the Holocaust and their families.
Synonyms: genocide, massacre, carnage, mass murder More Synonyms of holocaust
holocaust in British English
(ˈhɒləˌkɔːst)
noun
1.
great destruction or loss of life or the source of such destruction, esp fire
2. Also called: the Churban, the Shoah(usually capital)
the mass murder of Jews and members of many other ethnic, social, and political groups in continental Europe between 1940 and 1945 by the Nazi regime
3. a rare word for burnt offering
Derived forms
holocaustal (ˌholoˈcaustal) or holocaustic (ˌholoˈcaustic)
adjective
Word origin
C13: from Late Latin holocaustum whole burnt offering, from Greek holokauston, from holo- + kaustos, from kaiein to burn
holocaust in American English
(ˈhɑləˌkɑst; ˈhoʊləˌkɔst; ˈhɔləˌkɔst)
noun
1.
an offering the whole of which is burned; burnt offering
2.
great or total destruction of life, esp. by fire
nuclear holocaust
Idioms:
the Holocaust
Word origin
ME < OFr holocauste < LL(Ec) holocaustum, a whole burnt offering < Gr holokauston (neut. of holokaustos), burnt whole < holos, whole (see holo-) + kaustos, burnt: see caustic
Word lists with
holocaust
Historical events
In other languages
holocaust
British English: holocaust NOUN
A holocaust is an event in which there is a lot of destruction and many people are killed, especially one caused by war.
A nuclear holocaust seemed a very real possibility back then.
American English: holocaust
Brazilian Portuguese: holocausto
Chinese: > 大灾难尤指战争引起的
European Spanish: holocausto
French: holocauste
German: Inferno
Italian: olocausto
Japanese: 大虐殺
Korean: 대학살
European Portuguese: holocausto
Latin American Spanish: holocausto
Chinese translation of 'holocaust'
holocaust
(ˈhɔləkɔːst)
n(c)
大屠杀(殺) (dàtúshā) (次, cì)
the Holocaust (Hist) 第二次世界大战期间纳粹对犹太人的大屠杀
1 (noun)
Definition
destruction or loss of life on a massive scale
A nuclear holocaust seemed a very real possibility in the '50s.
Synonyms
devastation
A huge bomb blast brought devastation to the centre of the city.
destruction
the extensive destruction caused by the rioters
carnage
genocide
inferno
Rescue workers fought to get to victims inside the inferno.
annihilation
Political leaders fear the annihilation of their people.
conflagration
All the stock was destroyed in a warehouse conflagration.
2 (noun)
Definition
destruction or loss of life on a massive scale
a fund for survivors of the holocaust and their families
Synonyms
genocide
They have alleged that acts of genocide and torture were carried out.
massacre
She lost her mother in the massacre.
carnage
Their peaceful protest ended in carnage.
mass murder
ethnic cleansing (euphemistic)
annihilation
pogrom
a systematic pogrom against their southern neighbours
Additional synonyms
in the sense of annihilation
Political leaders fear the annihilation of their people.
Synonyms
destruction,
wiping out,
abolition,
extinction,
extinguishing,
liquidation,
rooting out,
extermination,
eradication,
erasure,
obliteration,
nullification,
extirpation (formal)
in the sense of carnage
Definition
extensive slaughter of people
Their peaceful protest ended in carnage.
Synonyms
slaughter,
murder,
massacre,
holocaust,
havoc,
bloodshed,
shambles,
mass murder,
butchery,
blood bath
in the sense of conflagration
Definition
a large destructive fire
All the stock was destroyed in a warehouse conflagration.