noun
butchery
BUCH-er-ee/ˈbʊtʃəri/
The slaughter and cutting up of animals for meat.
The slaughtered sheep and discarded cleaver show the aftermath of butchery.
Etymology
Old French bocherie linked slaughter with a butcher’s shop. In the selected sense, the ordinary work of slaughter becomes an image of barbarous killing, emphasizing cruelty rather than a trade.
In context
It was no fight, but a butchery. In vain the survivors ran screaming prayers to the saints and threw themselves down into the galley alongside.
More examples
- The report condemned the butchery of unarmed civilians.
- Her careless editing was described as butchery of the original essay.
- Safe handling is an essential part of professional butchery.
Forms
butchery · butcheries
Similar words
- slaughter
- Emphasizes killing, while butchery also covers preparing meat and destructive mishandling.