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HECATOMB (n. pl. - S)
Definition(s):
- (n.) a sacrifice to the gods, especially the sacrifice of one hundred oxen in ancient Greece
- (n.) any great slaughter or sacrifice
Useful information for game players:
- Front hooks: (none)
- Back hooks: -S
- Anagrams: (none)
- Longer extensions: (none)
- Wraparounds: (none)
- Other Spellings: (none)
- Related Forms: (none)
Epilogue:
Animal sacrifice played an important role in many ancient cultures, where hunting was an essential element of life and community was strengthened through various folkloric celebrations and religious rites. The Greek hekaton (“hundred”) and bous (“ox”) combine in HECATOMB to suggest a (literal or figurative) sacrifice of one hundred oxen. Many modern writers have employed it in a metaphorical sense, referring to the “hecatombs of broken hearts” or “a hecatomb of [political] office-holders.”
This week’s theme: Words starting with the letter H
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