Where does “slaughter” come from?
Slaughter comes from Middle English slaughter, from Old Norse slahtr, meaning the killing of animals for food.
slaughter (English): The killing of animals, generally for food; A...
Definitions
- The killing of animals, generally for food; A...
Ancestry of “slaughter”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | slaughter | — |
| 2 | Old Norse | slahtr | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | slahtrą | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | slahaną | to hit, to strike; to kill |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | slak- | to hit; strike; to hit, strike, throw; to hit,... |
Words derived from “slaughter”