matanza
matanza Lexical Profile
• noun
A massive slaughter or massacre, frequently used in historical literature to refer to specific tragic events in Latin American history, such as the 1932 Salvadoran peasant massacre.
"The historian devoted an entire chapter to the matanza of 1932, detailing the devastating cultural and demographic impact on the indigenous population."
North American A traditional communal event in Hispanic and Southwestern United States cultures centered around the butchering of a pig and the collaborative preparation of its meat for a large feast.
"Every winter, the extended family gathers at the rural ranch for a traditional matanza, spending the entire day preparing fresh chicharrones, tamales, and chorizos."
Word Nuance & Usage
In English literature and discourse, the term is typically either capitalized to denote specific historical Latin American massacres or used to describe a traditional communal pig slaughter and feast in Hispanic cultures.
• Rhymes for matanza
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed directly from the Spanish word 'matanza' (slaughter, killing), which derives from the verb 'matar' (to kill) combined with the noun-forming suffix '-anza'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.