Slaughtered

Slaughtered is the past participle of the verb slaughter. It is used to describe someone or something that has been killed, especially in large numbers or in a brutal manner. The term can refer to animals killed for meat, or to people killed in war, conflict, or violent crime. In everyday language, it can also describe overwhelming defeat or destruction in non-human contexts (for example, a team that has been slaughtered).

The word originates in the Germanic language family and is related to earlier verbs meaning to strike or kill. Over time, slaughter broadened from a general act of killing to specifically denote killing animals for food and, in later periods, large-scale killing in battles or massacres.

In contemporary settings, “slaughtered” refers to animals killed for meat, typically in a slaughterhouse. Many jurisdictions regulate slaughter to minimize animal suffering, often requiring anesthesia or stunning before bleeding. Methods vary by species and region, including captive bolt, electrical stunning, and poultry-specific techniques. Religious slaughter practices such as halal and kosher methods exist within regulatory frameworks, sometimes with exemptions or additional requirements.

The term is also used metaphorically to describe decisive defeat or destruction in sports, business, or politics. Related terms include slaughterhouse and slaughtering, used in various legal, cultural, and historical contexts.