You searched for: “holocaust
disaster, holocaust, tragedy
disaster (di ZAS tuhr, di SAS tuhr) (noun)
A sudden event causing great damage or loss: The rise in the river caused a disaster in the farmland.
holocaust (HAHL uh kost", HOH luh kost) (noun)
Destruction or sacrifice by fire; when capitalized, refers to the destruction of the European Jewish community in the mid-twentieth century: The eruption of the volcano caused a holocaust of the villages below its slopes.
tragedy (TRAJ i dee) (noun)
A very bad event that causes great sadness and often involves someone's death: The flight that crashed into the ocean was a terrible tragedy for many people including the people on the aircraft and their family members.

The high floods along the river caused a disaster to the farms. It was truly a tragedy that so many farmers lost their livestock; however, the oldest farmer was philosophical, reminding everyone that at least it was not a holocaust, because no buildings were burned.

holocaust (s) (noun), holocausts (pl)
1. A great or complete devastation or destruction, especially by fire: Several examples of holocausts took place in California and some other states during 2014.
2. A sacrifice completely consumed by fire; burned offering: Historical records reveal that many religions in the past used a form of holocaust when they sacrificed animals to their gods.
3. The systematic mass slaughter of European Jews who were placed in Nazi concentration camps during World War II (usually preceded by "the" and capitalized; such as, The Holocaust).
4. Any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life: Totality of destruction has been central to the meaning of holocaust since it first appeared in Middle English in the 14th century, used in reference to the biblical sacrifice in which a male animal was wholly burnt, or cremated, on the altar in worship of God.
5. Etymology: from Greek holokaustos, "that which is completely burned", which was a translation of a Hebrew word, literally, "that which goes up", that is, "in smoke". In this sense of "burnt sacrifice", holocaust is still used in some versions of the Bible.

In the 17th century the meaning of holocaust broadened into "something totally consumed by fire", and the word eventually was applied to fires of extreme destructiveness.

In the 20th century, holocaust has taken on a variety of figurative meanings, summarizing the effects of war, rioting, storms, epidemic diseases, and even economic failures.

Most of these terms came into existence after World War II, but it is unclear whether they resulted from the use of holocaust in reference to the mass murder of European Jews and others by the Nazis. This application of the word occurred as early as 1942, but the phrase The Holocaust did not become established until the late 1950s.

—Compiled from information located in
Dictionary of Latin and Greek Origins by Bob Moore and Maxine Moore;
Barnes & Noble Books; New York; 1987; page 154;
and
Word Origins and Their Romantic Stories
by Wilfred Funk, Litt.D.; Grosset & Dunlap; New York; 1992; page 273;
and
Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins
by Robert Hendrickson; Facts On File, Inc.;
New York; 1997; page 333.
Total destruction by fire or any extensive destruction by other means.
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This entry is located in the following units: caust-, caus-, caut-, cauter-, cau- + (page 3) holo-, hol- (page 1)
Word Entries at Get Words: “holocaust
The complete devastations or widespread destructions of something; especially by fire. (1)