3 syllables: Mass, a, cre. Stress on Mass.
MAS-uh-kur
/ˈmæsəkɚ/
Massacre is pronounced MAS-uh-kur (/ˈmæsəkɚ/). It has three syllables (Mass-a-cre), with the stress on "Mass". Massacre is a noun referring to a brutal and indiscriminate killing of many people. It can describe a historical event, a fictional atrocity, or a metaphorical, overwhelming defeat in sports or competition. The term carries strong negative connotations and emphasizes scale and cruelty, often suggesting tragic loss of life.
nounMassacre is a noun referring to a brutal and indiscriminate killing of many people. It can describe a historical event, a fictional atrocity, or a metaphorical, overwhelming defeat in sports or competition. The term carries strong negative connotations and emphasizes scale and cruelty, often suggesting tragic loss of life.
"The town endured a massacre during the civil war, leaving a lasting scar on the community."
"The movie depicted a massacre in vivid, unflinching detail."
"Critics argued that the stadium riot amounted to a massacre of fans’ safety and dignity."
You pronounce it as /ˈmæsəkər/ (US) or /ˈmæsəkə/ (UK/AU). The stress is on the first syllable: MAS. The second syllable is a schwa + r in US: /-ə-kər/; in non-rhotic UK/AU, it ends with a light /ə/ (no pronounced r). Visualize: MAS-suh-kuh, with a quick, short ‘uh’ between syllables. Audio references: you can compare with reputable dictionaries and pronunciation videos.
Common errors: 1) Over-adding a second strong syllable: say MAS-suh-CARE instead of MAS-suh-kuh. 2) Dropping the second syllable entirely: MAS- kuh. 3) Misplacing stress or adding extra consonants like ‘mass-ack-err.’ Correction: keep MAS as stressed syllable, follow with a quick schwa and soft /k/ before a final light /ər/ or /ə/ depending on accent. Practice with minimal pairs to lock in the pattern.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˈmæsəkər/ with a rhotic ending: the final 'er' is a voiced /ər/. UK/AU are typically non-rhotic; you’ll hear /ˈmæsəkə/ with a lighter or dropped final ‘r.’ The middle vowel stays a short /æ/; the second syllable uses a quick schwa. Rhythm is strong on the first syllable across all, but rhoticity differentiates the final vowel quality.
The challenge lies in the unstressed second syllable transitioning from /æ/ to a neutral schwa and the final unstressed vowel. The combination /sə/ or /kə/ requires careful timing to avoid a choppy or overly emphasized second syllable. For non-native speakers, maintaining the short /æ/ in the first syllable while reducing the second without losing clarity is essential.
The word features a three-syllable structure with a clear primary stress on the first syllable and a reducing second syllable; the final syllable’s vowel is often reduced to a schwa in many accents, especially non-rhotic variants. Awareness of the /-kər/ or /-kə/ ending helps avoid adding an extra vowel or consonant and keeps the word flowing in connected speech.
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Massacre originates from the late Middle English word massacreu, via Old French massacrer. The root traces to the Italian massacrare, itself from mascare (‘to slaughter’) which may derive from Latin mutilare or French massacre with sense evolution toward ‘slaughter of many.’ In English, the word coalesced in the 15th century as a term for large-scale killing, often in declared battles, sieges, or genocidal acts. Over time, the nuance widened to include any brutal, indiscriminate killing and, figuratively, to describe overwhelming defeat or destruction in nonviolent contexts (e.g., a “massacre of a presentation” meaning a terrible failure). First known uses appear in mid-late 15th century English records, with the Spanish-influenced term spread through war narratives and historical chronicles, then becoming common in modern journalism and political discourse to denote extreme violence. The evolution reflects shifts from battlefield contexts to broader cultural usage, retaining emphasis on scale, cruelty, and collective harm.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Massacre" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Massacre" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Massacre"
-age sounds
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