Hecatomb

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Hecatomb \Hec"a*tomb\, n. [L. hecatombe, Gr. ?; ? hundred + ?
     ox: cf. F. h['e]catombe.] (Antiq.)
     A sacrifice of a hundred oxen or cattle at the same time;
     hence, the sacrifice or slaughter of any large number of
     victims.
     [1913 Webster]


  
           Slaughtered hecatombs around them bleed. --Addison.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           More than a human hecatomb.              --Byron.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  hecatomb
       n : a great sacrifice; an ancient Greek or Roman sacrifice of
           100 oxen