/blud"bath', -bahth'/ , n. , pl. bloodbaths /-badhz', -bahdhz', -baths', -bahths'/ .
1. a ruthless slaughter of a great number of people; massacre.
2. Informal. a period of disastrous loss or reversal: A few mutual funds performed well in the general bloodbath of the stock market.
3. a widespread dismissal or purge, as of employees.
Also, blood bath .
[ 1865-70; BLOOD + BATH 1 ]