matanzas: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 / Very Low FrequencyFormal, Historical, Literary, and Geographical.
Quick answer
What does “matanzas” mean?
An act or event of mass killing or slaughter.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An act or event of mass killing or slaughter.
A scene or site of great destruction, bloodshed, or carnage; can also refer to the city and province in Cuba, named after historic slaughter sites.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in usage as a common noun, which is rare in both. The proper noun (Cuba) is used identically.
Connotations
Strongly negative, evoking brutality and historical atrocity. Use outside historical/literary contexts may sound excessively dramatic or archaic.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary general usage in both dialects, except as the proper noun for the Cuban location.
Grammar
How to Use “matanzas” in a Sentence
the matanzas of [victim group]the matanzas at [location]a matanzas ensuedwitness to a matanzasVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “matanzas” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not used as a verb in English.
American English
- Not used as a verb in English.
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb in English.
American English
- Not used as an adverb in English.
adjective
British English
- Not used as an adjective in English.
American English
- Not used as an adjective in English.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical, anthropological, or Latin American studies texts to describe specific events.
Everyday
Extremely rare, except when referring to the Cuban city.
Technical
Not used in technical fields except specific historical terminology.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “matanzas”
- Using it as a synonym for a small fight or skirmish (it implies large scale).
- Mispronouncing it with a strong /t/ or /s/ at the end (it's /məˈtænzəs/).
- Attempting to use it in casual conversation where 'massacre' or 'slaughter' would be more natural and understood.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very low-frequency word. Its primary modern use is as the proper noun for a city and province in Cuba. The common noun meaning ('massacres') is archaic and found mainly in historical or literary texts.
It is pronounced /məˈtænzəs/ in both British and American English, with the stress on the second syllable: muh-TAN-zuhs.
No, in English 'matanzas' is only used as a noun (either a proper noun or a common noun). The related Spanish verb 'matar' means 'to kill'.
Avoid using it in everyday speech to mean a small-scale fight. It denotes large-scale, often systematic, slaughter and carries a very heavy, formal, and historical connotation.
An act or event of mass killing or slaughter.
Matanzas is usually formal, historical, literary, and geographical. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None in common usage; the word itself is used descriptively.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'Manhattan' and 'anzas' – but imagine a brutal historical event in Manhattan that was a 'massacre'. The 'z' can remind you of the severity.
Conceptual Metaphor
A LOCATION IS AN EVENT (metonymy): The city's name (Matanzas, Cuba) stands for the historical killings that gave it its name.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'matanzas' most appropriately used in modern English?