butcher

1 of 2

noun

butch·​er ˈbu̇-chər How to pronounce butcher (audio)
Synonyms of butchernext
1
a
: a person who slaughters animals or dresses their flesh
b
: a dealer in meat
2
: one that kills ruthlessly or brutally
3
: one that bungles or botches
4
: a vendor especially on trains or in theaters

butcher

2 of 2

verb

butchered; butchering ˈbu̇-chə-riŋ How to pronounce butcher (audio)
ˈbu̇ch-

transitive verb

1
: to slaughter and dress for market
butcher hogs
2
: to kill in a barbarous manner
3
: botch
butchered the play

Synonyms of butcher

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Noun

Verb

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Examples of butcher in a Sentence

Noun the newest intern on the campaign is a butcher when it comes to writing press releases Verb They've hired someone to butcher the hogs. Many innocent people were butchered under his regime. The band has butchered my favorite song.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The Muses were meant for the butcher two autumns ago, but no one had the heart to lure them onto the trailer. — Literary Hub, 22 June 2026 In their quest for the best produce, the trio searched around each location for the best butchers and bakeries to acquire fresh meat and bread each day. — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 29 June 2026
Verb
The deer must be completely butchered and de-boned before it can be brought into the state. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026 Newmark warns that the pig-butchering problem is likely to get worse thanks to AI. — Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for butcher

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bocher, from Anglo-French, from buc he-goat, probably of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Irish bocc he-goat — more at buck entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of butcher was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing butcher

Browse Nearby Words

butch
butcher
butcher's-broom
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Butcher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/butcher. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

butcher

1 of 2 noun
butch·​er ˈbu̇ch-ər How to pronounce butcher (audio)
1
a
: one whose business is killing animals for sale as food
b
: a dealer in meat
2
: a person who kills in large numbers or in a brutal manner

butcher

2 of 2 verb
butchered; butchering -(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce butcher (audio)
1
: to slaughter and prepare for market
butcher hogs
2
: to kill in a barbarous manner : massacre
3
: to make a mess of : botch
butchered the performance

More from Merriam-Webster on butcher

Nglish: Translation of butcher for Spanish Speakers

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