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matanza

slaughter

noun mah-TAHN-sah Rare

Also means

massacre

Usage Note

Matanza comes from matar (to kill) and covers both the slaughter of animals (especially la matanza del cerdo, the traditional pig-slaughter) and a mass killing of people. Context makes the register clear: the pig-slaughter sense is neutral and festive in many Spanish-speaking regions; the human sense is grave and horrifying.

Examples

"La matanza de civiles conmocionó al mundo."

Natural Translation

The massacre of civilians shocked the world.

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