massacre of the innocents: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (C2)Formal, literary, historical, religious; often used in academic, artistic, or journalistic contexts to denote extreme brutality against the vulnerable.
Quick answer
What does “massacre of the innocents” mean?
The biblical event, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, in which King Herod orders the execution of all male infants in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill the newborn Jesus.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The biblical event, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, in which King Herod orders the execution of all male infants in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill the newborn Jesus.
Any event or situation involving the brutal and indiscriminate killing of defenseless or blameless people, especially children.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The spelling of 'massacre' is the same.
Connotations
Identically strong connotations of historical/religious significance and moral outrage in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects, primarily encountered in specific discursive contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “massacre of the innocents” in a Sentence
[Subject] was a modern-day massacre of the innocents.The painting depicts the Massacre of the Innocents.Historians debate the historicity of the Massacre of the Innocents.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “massacre of the innocents” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The tyrant was accused of massacring the innocents in a brutal purge.
American English
- The regime sought to massacre the innocents in a desperate act of control.
adjective
British English
- The massacre-of-the-innocents imagery in the film was profoundly disturbing.
American English
- She wrote a massacre-of-the-innocents narrative set in a war-torn region.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. In extreme metaphorical critique, it might describe ruthless corporate downsizing with catastrophic human cost: 'The merger led to a massacre of the innocents among the junior staff.'
Academic
Used in historical, theological, art history, and literary studies to discuss the biblical narrative, its representations in art, or as a rhetorical concept for discussing violence.
Everyday
Very rare. Might be used hyperbolically in intense political or social commentary: 'The new policy is a massacre of the innocents, targeting the poorest families.'
Technical
Not used in technical fields outside specific humanities disciplines.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “massacre of the innocents”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “massacre of the innocents”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “massacre of the innocents”
- Incorrect article: 'massacre of innocents' (missing 'the') is sometimes seen but the standard fixed phrase includes 'the'.
- Capitalization error: Not capitalizing when referring specifically to the biblical event.
- Using it to describe any defeat or failure, diluting its severe moral weight.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Most historians consider it a literary or theological narrative in the Gospel of Matthew, as there is no direct corroborating evidence from other contemporary sources.
Yes, it is often used metaphorically in political or social commentary to describe events where blameless, vulnerable people are killed or severely harmed.
The subject was popular in Western art, especially during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, as it allowed artists to depict intense emotion, drama, and complex compositions involving figures in distress.
Capitalize 'Massacre of the Innocents' when referring specifically to the biblical event. Use lowercase when using the phrase in a general, metaphorical sense.
The biblical event, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, in which King Herod orders the execution of all male infants in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill the newborn Jesus.
Massacre of the innocents is usually formal, literary, historical, religious; often used in academic, artistic, or journalistic contexts to denote extreme brutality against the vulnerable. in register.
Massacre of the innocents: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmæs.ə.kər əv ði ˈɪn.ə.sənts/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmæs.ə.kɚ əv ði ˈɪn.ə.sənts/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms; the phrase itself is a fixed historical/literary reference]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember 'Innocents' starts with 'Inno-' like 'innocent'. The phrase pictures a mass (massacre) killing of those who are innocent (innocents).
Conceptual Metaphor
EXTREME INJUSTICE IS A HISTORICAL ATROCITY; THE VULNERABLE ARE SACRIFICIAL LAMBS.
Practice
Quiz
In extended metaphorical use, 'a massacre of the innocents' primarily criticizes an action for being: