The act of killing animals for food in a systematic way, or killing in large numbers (especially in violent conflict).
From Middle Dutch 'slachtren' (to strike), related to 'slaughter.' The word entered English around 1400 with the animal-killing meaning and later extended to mass killing in warfare.
The word 'slaughter' is one of English's most violent-sounding words, yet it comes from a Germanic root meaning simply 'to strike.' This mirrors how many cultures develop euphemistic language around difficult realities—we can't help but let our discomfort show in how words sound.
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