hecatomb

== English == === Etymology === The noun is a learned borrowing from Latin hecatombē (“great sacrifice of a hundred oxen, hecatomb”), from Ancient Greek ἑκατόμβη (hekatómbē, “great sacrifice of a hundred oxen, hecatomb; any animal sacrifice or large sacrifice”, from ἑκᾰτόν (hekătón, “hundred”) +‎ βοῦς (boûs, “cattle, cow, ox”)). The verb is derived from the noun. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈhɛkətuːm/, /-tɒm/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈhɛkətoʊm/ Hyphenation: he‧ca‧tomb === Noun === hecatomb (plural hecatombs) (Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, historical) A great public sacrifice to the gods, originally of a hundred oxen; also, a great number of animals reserved for such a sacrifice. (by extension, religion, historical) A great public sacrifice in other religions; also, a great number of animals or people reserved for such a sacrifice. (figuratively, literary and poetic) A great number of animals, people, or things that are sacrificed or destroyed; any great sacrifice; also (generally), a large amount. (large amount): Synonyms: see Thesaurus:lot ==== Translations ==== === Verb === hecatomb (third-person singular simple present hecatombs, present participle hecatombing, simple past and past participle hecatombed) (transitive) To provide (someone or something) with a hecatomb. ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === hecatomb on Wikipedia.Wikipedia