Genocide
/ˈdʒɛnəsaɪd/
Definitions
The intentional destruction of a people—usually defined as a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group—in whole or in part.
/ˈdʒɛnəsaɪd/
The deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation.
The international community condemned the genocide and intervened to stop the violence.
💡 Simply: Imagine a horrible situation where a government or group tries to wipe out an entire group of people just because of who they are – their race, religion, or background. It's like they're trying to erase that whole group from existence. For example, many people believe that what happened in Rwanda in 1994 was an act of genocide.
👶 For kids: When a group of people is killed on purpose because of who they are or what they believe.
More Examples
Evidence of genocide was presented to the war crimes tribunal.
The film depicts the horrific events of the Rwandan genocide.
How It's Used
"The International Criminal Court investigates and prosecutes acts of genocide."
"The Armenian genocide during World War I is a well-documented historical event."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
prevent genocide
To take action to stop a genocide from happening.
"The international community must take decisive action to prevent genocide."
complicity in genocide
Being involved in helping to commit the crime of genocide.
"The defendant was found guilty of complicity in genocide."
From the Greek word *genos* (race, kind) and the Latin suffix *-cide* (killing). Coined by Raphael Lemkin in the 1940s to describe the systematic destruction of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
The term 'genocide' was first used in the aftermath of the Holocaust and gained widespread use in legal and political contexts throughout the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st.
Memory tip
Think of 'genos' (group) + 'cide' (killing) = killing a group.
Word Origin
"Killing of a race or kind."