holocaust
holocaust Lexical Profile
holocaust Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The systematic, state-sponsored persecution and genocide of six million European Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime and its collaborators between 1933 and 1945 (usually capitalized as "the Holocaust").
"The museum's permanent exhibition preserves personal letters and artifacts to educate future generations about the Holocaust."
Destruction or loss of life on a massive scale, especially caused by fire or nuclear warfare.
"Cold War diplomats worked tirelessly to sign treaties that would prevent a global nuclear holocaust."
In ancient religious traditions, a sacrificial offering that is completely consumed by fire on an altar.
"Ancient texts describe how the priests prepared a ritual holocaust upon the stone altar."
Word Nuance & Usage
When capitalized as "the Holocaust" (or known in Hebrew as the "Shoah"), the term refers specifically to the Nazi genocide of European Jews during World War II. Using the lowercase form to describe minor or everyday disasters is widely considered insensitive and inappropriate.
• Rhymes for holocaust
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed via Old French and Late Latin from Ancient Greek 'holokauston', a compound of 'holos' (whole) and 'kaustos' (burned), originally denoting a religious animal sacrifice completely consumed by fire.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.