Holocaust


[hol-uh-kawst, hoh-luh-] /ˈhɒl əˌkɔst, ˈhoʊ lə-/

noun
1.
a great or complete devastation or destruction, especially by fire.
2.
a sacrifice completely consumed by fire; burnt offering.
3.
(usually initial capital letter) the systematic mass slaughter of European Jews in Nazi concentration camps during World War II (usually preceded by the).
4.
any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life.
/ˈhɒləˌkɔːst/
noun
1.
great destruction or loss of life or the source of such destruction, esp fire
2.
(usually capital) Also called the Churban, the Shoah. 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
n.

mid-13c., “sacrifice by fire, burnt offering,” from Greek holokauston “a thing wholly burnt,” neuter of holokaustos “burned whole,” from holos “whole” (see holo-) + kaustos, verbal adjective of kaiein “to burn.” Originally a Bible word for “burnt offerings,” given wider sense of “massacre, destruction of a large number of persons” from 1833. The Holocaust “Nazi genocide of European Jews in World War II,” first recorded 1957, earlier known in Hebrew as Shoah “catastrophe.” The word itself was used in English in reference to Hitler’s Jewish policies from 1942, but not as a proper name for them.

Auschwitz makes all too clear the principle that the human psyche can create meaning out of anything. [Robert Jay Lifton, “The Nazi Doctors”]

Holocaust [(hol-uh-kawst, hoh-luh-kawst)]

The killing of some six million Jews by the Nazis during World War II. To the Nazis, the Holocaust was the “Final Solution” to the “Jewish problem,” and would help them establish a pure German master race. Much of the killing took place in concentration camps, such as Auschwitz and Dachau. (See Adolf Eichmann and Heinrich Himmler.)

Read Also:

  • Holocaustic

    [hol-uh-kawst, hoh-luh-] /ˈhɒl əˌkɔst, ˈhoʊ lə-/ noun 1. a great or complete devastation or destruction, especially by fire. 2. a sacrifice completely consumed by fire; burnt offering. 3. (usually initial capital letter) the systematic mass slaughter of European Jews in Nazi concentration camps during World War II (usually preceded by the). 4. any mass slaughter […]

  • Holocene

    [hol-uh-seen, hoh-luh-] /ˈhɒl əˌsin, ˈhoʊ lə-/ Geology adjective 1. (def 4). noun 2. (def 5). /ˈhɒləˌsiːn/ adjective 1. of, denoting, or formed in the second and most recent epoch of the Quaternary period, which began 10 000 years ago at the end of the Pleistocene noun 2. the Holocene, the Holocene epoch or rock series […]

  • Holocord

    holocord hol·o·cord (hŏl’ə-kôrd’, hō’lə-) adj. Of, relating to, or characteristic of the spinal cord throughout its length.

  • Holocrine

    [hol-uh-krin, -krahyn, hoh-luh-] /ˈhɒl ə krɪn, -ˌkraɪn, ˈhoʊ lə-/ adjective 1. (of a gland) releasing a secretion that is a product of disintegrating cells. 2. (of a secretion) released by such a gland. /ˈhɒləkrɪn/ adjective 1. (of the secretion of glands) characterized by disintegration of the entire glandular cell in releasing its product, as in […]

  • Holocrystalline

    /ˌhɒləˈkrɪstəˌlaɪn/ adjective 1. (of igneous rocks) having only crystalline components and no glass Compare hemicrystalline


Disclaimer: Holocaust definition / meaning should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. All content on this website is for informational purposes only.