Definitions for holocaustˈhɒl əˌkɔst, ˈhoʊ lə-

This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word holocaust

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:(4.50 / 2 votes)

  1. holocaust(noun)

    an act of mass destruction and loss of life (especially in war or by fire)

    "a nuclear holocaust"

  2. Holocaust, final solution(noun)

    the mass murder of Jews under the German Nazi regime from 1941 until 1945

GCIDERate this definition:(5.00 / 1 vote)

  1. Holocaust(n.)

    Specifically: The mass killing of millions of Jews by the Nazis during the period from 1933 to 1945 in Germany and German-occupied lands; usually referred to as The Holocaust. In Hebrew, the same event is referred to by the word Shoah.

  2. Origin: [L. holocaustum, Gr. , neut. of , , burnt whole; "o`los whole + kaysto`s burnt, fr. kai`ein to burn (cf. Caustic): cf. F. holocauste.]

WiktionaryRate this definition:(5.00 / 1 vote)

  1. holocaust(Noun)

    A sacrifice to a god that is completely burned to ashes.

  2. holocaust(Noun)

    The annihilation or near-annihilation of a group of animals or people, whether by natural or deliberate agency (e.g., u201Cnuclear holocaustu201D)

  3. holocaust(Noun)

    The state-sponsored mass murder of an ethnic group. In particular (and often with an initial capital) the u201CFinal Solutionu201D, 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.

  4. Holocaust(ProperNoun)

    The mass murder of Jews and other groups by the Nazi regime during World War II.

  5. Origin: From holocauste, from holocaustum, from the neuter form of ὁλόκαυστος, from ὅλος + καύστος, from καίω

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:(5.00 / 1 vote)

  1. Holocaust(noun)

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

  2. Holocaust(noun)

    sacrifice or loss of many lives, as by the burning of a theater or a ship. [An extended use not authorized by careful writers.]


FreebaseRate this definition:(5.00 / 1 vote)

  1. Holocaust



  1. Holocaust

    A massive slaughter, especially the systematic mass extermination of European Jews in Nazi concentration camps prior to and during World War II.

Translations for holocaust

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • holocaustCzech
  • Massenmord, Massentötung, Massenvernichtung, Holokaustum, Ausmerzung, Holokauston, Auslöschung, Gruppenmord, Ausrottung, Holocaust, Ganzopfer, VollbrandopferGerman
  • εξολόθρευση, γενοκτονία, ολοκαύτωμαGreek
  • holocaustoSpanish
  • juutalaisvaino, polttouhri, kansanmurha, joukkotuhoFinnish
  • holocausteFrench
  • קורבן עולהHebrew
  • holocaustDutch
  • całopalenie, holokaustPolish
  • holocausto, extermínio, genocídioPortuguese
  • în, holocaust, exterminare, genocid, masăRomanian
  • холокостRussian
  • холокаустSerbo-Croatian
  • förintelse, folkmordSwedish

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