Massacrare

Massacrare is an Italian transitive verb meaning to kill a large number of people in a brutal or systematic fashion; to massacre. It can also mean to defeat someone or something decisively, or to ruin or overwhelm a thing, including in metaphorical uses such as to demolish a theory or to overwhelm an opponent. The related noun is massacro, and the adjective massacrante is used for things that are exhausting, punishing, or extremely demanding (for example, una giornata massacrante).

Etymology: The verb derives from the noun massacro, with the standard -are verb ending. The noun massacro dates from the medieval period, and the exact origin is uncertain, with influences from other Romance languages. The form massacr- + -are is typical for Italian verbs that derive from nouns.

Conjugation: In the present indicative: io massacro, tu massacri, lui massacra, noi massacriamo, voi massacrate, loro massacrano. The past participle is massacrato; the passato prossimo uses avere: ho massacrato, hai massacrato, ha massacrato, abbiamo massacrato, avete massacrato, hanno massacrato. Imperfect: massacravo, massacravi, massacrava, massacravamo, massacravate, massacravano. Future: massacrerò, massacrerai, massacrerà, massacreremo, massacrerete, massacreranno. Subjunctive present: massacri, massacri, massacri, massacriamo, massacriate, massacrino.

Usage notes: Massacrare conveys violent or drastic killing, commonly in legal or historical contexts and often with strong negative connotations. It is also used figuratively to denote overwhelming defeat, dismantling of an argument, or crushing of data. Reflexive or passive forms (massacrarsi, essere massacrato) describe injuries or overwhelming effects on a subject.