ecatombe

Italian

Etymology

From Latin hecatombē, from Ancient Greek ἑκατόμβη (hekatómbē).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /e.kaˈtom.be/, [ekäˈt̪o̞mbe]
• Rhymes: -ombe
• Hyphenation: e‧ca‧tóm‧be

Noun

ecatombe f (plural ecatombi)

1. (historical, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome) A great feast and public sacrifice to the gods (originally of a hundred oxen); hecatomb
2. (by extension) slaughter, massacre

Synonyms

• (slaughter): carneficina, eccidio, massacro, mattanza, sterminio, strage

Related terms

• tomba