[ho.lo.caust] n [ME, fr. OF holocauste, fr. LL holocaustum, fr. Gk holokauston, fr. neut. of holokaustos burnt whole, fr. hol- + kaustos burnt, fr. kaiein to burn--more at caustic] (13c) 1: a sacrifice consumed by fire
2: a thorough destruction involving extensive loss of life esp. through fire "a nuclear ~" 3 a often cap: the mass slaughter of European civilians and esp. Jews by the Nazis during World War II--usu. used with the b: a mass slaughter of people; esp: genocide