slaughter
Meaning
the killing of many people in a cruel or violent way
the killing of animals for their meat
to kill an animal for its meat
to kill many people in a cruel or violent way
Usage
The battle resulted in the wholesale slaughter of the enemy forces.
The regulations govern the humane slaughter of livestock.
The invading army was accused of slaughtering innocent civilians.
Etymology
The word 'slaughter' entered English from Old Norse slátr, meaning "butcher's meat." This Norse term is related to the Old English verb slēan, meaning "to strike, slay," both deriving from the Proto-Germanic root slahaną. The semantic journey moved from the general act of striking or killing to the specific context of butchering animals for meat. Over time, the meaning broadened again to include the brutal killing of people, emphasizing violence and carnage, thus connecting the modern abstract sense of massacre back to its ancient, physical roots.
Analysis
The word 'slaughter' is a simplex word of Old Norse origin. It does not contain separable, meaningful morphemes within its modern English spelling.