Lexic.us

Definition of Holocaust

1. Noun. An act of mass destruction and loss of life (especially in war or by fire). "A nuclear holocaust"

2. Noun. The mass murder of Jews under the German Nazi regime from 1941 until 1945.

Definition of Holocaust

1. n. A burnt sacrifice; an offering, the whole of which was consumed by fire, among the Jews and some pagan nations.

Definition of Holocaust

1. Proper noun. (historical) The systematic mass murder of Jews and other ethnic groups in concentration camps by the Nazi regime just before and during World War II. ¹

2. Noun. A sacrifice to a god that is completely burned to ashes. ¹

3. Noun. The annihilation or near-annihilation of a group of animals or people, whether by natural or deliberate agency (e.g., “nuclear holocaust”) ¹

4. Noun. The state-sponsored mass murder of an ethnic group. In particular (and often with an initial capital) the “Final Solution”, a euphemism used by the Nazis to describe the mass killing of Jews and others either in camps equipped with industrial gassing and crematorium equipment or by more conventional means. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Holocaust

1. [n -S]

Medical Definition of Holocaust

1. A massive slaughter, especially the systematic mass extermination of european jews in nazi concentration camps prior to and during world war II. (12 Dec 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Holocaust

holms holo holo- holo-ACP synthase holoacardius holoacardius acephalus holoacardius amorphus holoanencephaly holoarchies holoarchy

holoblast holoblastic holoblastic cleavage holocarboxylase synthetase holocaust (current term) holocaust survivor holocaust survivors holocausts holocephalan holocephali

holocephalic holochroal holoclone holoclones holocoen holocoens holocord holocrine holocrine gland

Literary usage of Holocaust

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage by Inc. Merriam-Webster (1994)
"As a result, holocaust commonly refers to large-scale destruction, loss of life, ... 1952 In the July 1967 holocaust ... about 2700 stores were ransacked ..."

2. The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the by Charles George Herbermann, Edward Aloysius Pace, Condé Bénoist Pallen, Thomas Joseph Shahan, John Joseph Wynne (1913)
"The obligatory holocausts were (1 ) the daily burnt-offering of a lamb ; this holocaust was made twice a day (at the third and ninth hour), and accompanied ..."

3. The Days of a Man: Being Memories of a Naturalist, Teacher, and Minor by David Starr Jordan (1922)
"... the holocaust. The City Fathers ordered the prisoners in the City Jail bathed in gasoline. Also that a tub of gasoline be used to dip all clothing of ..."

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