holocaust

noun

ho·​lo·​caust ˈhō-lə-ˌkȯst 

ˈhä-,

 also  -ˌkäst,

 or  ˈhȯ-lə-kȯst

1

: a sacrifice (see sacrifice entry 1 sense 2) consumed by fire

2

: a thorough destruction involving extensive loss of life especially through fire

a nuclear holocaust

3

a

usually the Holocaust : the mass slaughter of European civilians and especially Jews by the Nazis during World War II

Several members of her family died in the Holocaust.

a Holocaust survivor

b

: a mass slaughter of people

especially : genocide

a holocaust in Rwanda

Synonyms

• conflagration
• fire
• inferno

Examples of holocaust in a Sentence

The museum is devoted to the Holocaust.

There were fears of a nuclear holocaust.

Recent Examples on the Web

Soon after, the same broadcaster commissioned a holocaust series featuring a majority white cast. —Jake Kanter, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2024

The theory gets its name from the 1984 Arnold Schwarzenegger film, where a cyborg travels back in time to kill a woman whose unborn son will fight against an AI system slated to spark a nuclear holocaust. —Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 21 May 2024

His predecessor had started seizing the high ground in the nuclear age with bold ideas for controlling these diabolical weapons, and other presidents would continue, in time leading to arms-control and test-ban treaties, and helping (so far) to avert nuclear holocaust. —Andreas Kluth, The Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2024

The Russians know that a conflict on the edge of central Europe is not the same as a Soviet march to the Rhine or the English Channel and that Washington will not risk a nuclear holocaust over a localized and relatively small conventional conflict. —Tom Nichols, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin holocaustum, from Greek holokauston, from neuter of holokaustos burnt whole, from hol- + kaustos burnt, from kaiein to burn — more at caustic

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

holocaust

noun

ho·​lo·​caust ˈhō-lə-ˌkȯst 

ˈhäl-ə-,

 also  -ˌkäst,

 or  ˈhȯ-lə-ˌkȯst

1

: a sacrifice destroyed by fire

2

: a thorough destruction especially by fire

3

a

often capitalized : the killing of European civilians and especially Jews by the Nazis during World War II

b

: genocide