holocaust
/ˈhɒləˌkɔːst/HO-luh-kawst
/ˈhɑləˌkɔst/HAH-luh-kawst
Meaningwholly burnt
Common meaning: a destruction by fire
Other meanings: mass slaughter
- holowhole (Greek holos)
- caustto burn; burningLiddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), p. 221 · scan
‘whole (Greek holos)’ + ‘to burn’ → holocaust
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Greek καίω; καυστικός ‘to burn; burning’.
Did you know: our wording, based on Liddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), entry καίω, p. 221 · dictionary scan
Roots
- καίω; καυστικός Greek “to burn; burning”
Related words
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