HOLOCAUST Meaning and
Definition
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The term "holocaust" refers to a historical event that took place during World War II, specifically between 1941 and 1945. It encompasses the systematic and state-sponsored persecution and mass murder of approximately six million Jewish people, along with millions of other victims from various national, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, by the Nazi regime led by Adolf Hitler in Germany.
The word "holocaust" originates from the Greek language and means "sacrifice by fire." In the context of the Holocaust, it symbolizes the horrific scale and nature of the crimes committed. The persecution and extermination of Jews and other targeted groups were carried out through a network of extermination camps, concentration camps, and mass shootings.
These extermination efforts were driven by the Nazi regime's ideology of racial purity and anti-Semitism, aiming to eradicate entire groups of people they deemed undesirable or a threat to the so-called Aryan race. Victims were stripped of their rights, herded into ghettos, subjected to forced labor, and ultimately transported to extermination camps where they were systematically murdered in gas chambers, through forced labor, or by other brutal methods.
The Holocaust stands as one of the darkest chapters in human history, highlighting the depths of human cruelty and the dangerous consequences of racism, prejudice, and unchecked power. It serves as a chilling reminder of the importance of safeguarding human rights, promoting tolerance, and preventing the ever-repeating horrors of genocide.
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A sacrifice or offering the whole of which was consumed by fire; a burnt-offering.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Top Common Misspellings for HOLOCAUST *
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Other Common Misspellings for HOLOCAUST
Etymology of HOLOCAUST
The word "holocaust" has its roots in the Old French term "holocauste" and the Late Latin word "holocaustum", both of which were derived from the Greek word "holokauston". "Holokauston" is a compound word, combining "holos" meaning "whole" or "entire", and "kaustos" meaning "burnt". Thus, the literal translation of "holocaust" is "burnt whole". In its original usage, the term referred to a sacrificial offering in which an entire animal was burnt on an altar. However, following World War II, the word "holocaust" took on a new and specific meaning, referring to the systematic genocide of six million Jews as well as millions of others, including Romani people, Poles, Soviet POWs, and disabled individuals during the Nazi regime.
Idioms with the word HOLOCAUST
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the Holocaust
The idiom "the Holocaust" refers to the genocide that occurred during World War II, specifically the systematic murder of approximately 6 million Jews by the Nazis and their collaborators. It is often used to describe the mass extermination, persecution, and ethnic cleansing carried out by Adolf Hitler's regime.
Similar spelling words for HOLOCAUST
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