A violent conflict or massacre where many people are killed or badly injured.
Compound of 'blood' (Old English blōd) and 'bath' (Old English bæth). Originally literal in medieval contexts, it evolved to describe any mass slaughter or defeat. The metaphorical use became common in journalism by the 20th century.
Interestingly, 'bloodbath' is often used today in non-violent contexts—news outlets call stock market crashes or election losses 'bloodbaths' even though no actual blood is shed. This shows how powerfully vivid language spreads to describe intensity and devastation in completely different fields.
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