butcher
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for butcher, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A person whose trade is preparing and selling meat.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use butcher
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old French bouchier, "goat slaughterer," from bouc ("goat"), tracing back to a Germanic word for a male goat — the same root as the English word "buck."
Full origin of butcher →Frequently asked questions
What does “butcher” mean?
The word “butcher” means a person whose trade is preparing and selling meat. In plain terms, someone who cuts and sells meat for a living, or (figuratively) to ruin something badly or kill without mercy.
How do you pronounce “butcher”?
“Butcher” is pronounced BUUT-shuh (/ˈbʊt͡ʃɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “butcher” in a sentence?
Here is “butcher” used in a sentence: “I bought the lamb chops from the butcher on the corner.”
What is another word for “butcher”?
Words with a similar meaning to “butcher” include flesher and slayer.
What part of speech is “butcher”?
Depending on how it is used, “butcher” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “butcher” come from?
The word “butcher” comes from Old French. From Old French bouchier, "goat slaughterer," from bouc ("goat"), tracing back to a Germanic word for a male goat — the same root as the English word "buck.".
Is “butcher” a common word?
“Butcher” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “butcher” have?
“Butcher” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person whose trade is preparing and selling meat.
What is the difference between a butcher and someone who "butchers" a task?
A butcher, as a noun, is a person whose trade is preparing and selling meat, a respected skilled profession. Used as a verb outside that trade, "to butcher" something means to ruin or botch it badly, a figurative extension with a negative connotation unrelated to the actual craft.
Why is "butcher" sometimes used to describe a violent person?
"Butcher" can describe someone who kills brutally or without mercy, extending the literal meat-cutting trade into a harsh metaphor for extreme violence. This sense is figurative and carries strong negative judgment, distinct from the neutral professional meaning.
How is "butcher" used as a verb in cooking versus in criticism?
As a verb, "to butcher" literally means to slaughter animals and cut up the meat for sale, a standard part of food preparation. Figuratively, it means to ruin or botch something badly, as in "he butchered the presentation," with no literal violence involved.