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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

butcher

/ˈbʊt͡ʃɚ/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:57
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What does butcher mean?

noun

  1. A person who prepares and sells meat (and sometimes also slaughters the animals).
  2. (figuratively) A brutal or indiscriminate killer.
  3. (slang) A look.
More meanings (9)

verb

  1. To slaughter (animals) and prepare (meat) for market.
  2. To work as a butcher.
  3. To kill brutally.
  4. To ruin (something), often to the point of defamation.
  5. To mess up hopelessly; to botch; to distort beyond recognition.

adjective

  1. comparative form of butch: more butch

proper noun

  1. A surname originating as an occupation for a butcher.

noun

  1. (informal, obsolete) A person who sells candy, drinks, etc. in theatres, trains, circuses, etc.
  2. (archaic) A king playing card.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˈbʊt͡ʃɚ/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

He picked up a fragment of cheese, by pecking upon it with his knife, as a butcher picks up skewers.
Thomas HardyFar from the Madding CrowdProject Gutenberg ebook #27
He adjusted a keen butcher knife over his leather belt, which held a warm buffalo robe securely about his body.
Charles A. EastmanIndian Heroes and Great ChieftainsProject Gutenberg ebook #336
More book examples (3)
We came to the house of the wounded butcher, which was some way out of the town in the north-western suburb.
George BorrowWild Wales: Its People, Language and SceneryProject Gutenberg ebook #648
For months together we might become almost independent of butcher and doctor if we made our places produce all that nature permits.
Edward Payson RoeSuccess with Small FruitsProject Gutenberg ebook #6117
The butcher was accustomed to purchase sheep and kine in the vicinity, which, when fattened, he drove to Alston market and sold.
William YouattThe DogProject Gutenberg ebook #9478