Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Holocaust” come from?

Holocaust comes from Middle English holocaust, from Anglo-Norman holocauste, from Late Latin holocaustum, from Ancient Greek ὁλόκαυστος, formed from ὅλος meaning whole and καίω meaning to burn.

Holocaust (English): Alternative letter-case form of holocaust

Definitions

  1. Alternative letter-case form of holocaust

Ancestry of “Holocaust”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchholocausteholocaust
2Middle Frenchholocauste—
3Old Frencholocauste—
4Latinholocaustuma burnt offering wholly consumed by fire;...
5Ancient Greekὁλόκαυστοςwholly burnt
6Ancient Greekὅλοςwhole, entire, perfect, complete; absolute,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeansolh₂wós—
8Proto-Indo-Europeansōlh₂-mercy, comfort; comfort, mercy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sōlh₂- →