macabre
Other forms: macabrely
The adjective macabre is used to describe things that involve the horror of death or violence. If a story involves lots of blood and gore, you can call it macabre.
This word first appeared in English in the context of the "Dance of Death," recounted in literature as the figure of Death leading people in a dance to the grave, and translated from the Old French Danse Macabre. The Macabre part of the phrase is thought to be an alteration of Macabe, "a Maccabee," an allusion to the Maccabees, who were a Jewish people who led a revolt against the Seleucid Empire about 166 B.C.E. and were martyred in the process.
-
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing macabre
After receiving a curse that causes her to slowly transform into a demon with a deadly touch, Miuko embarks on a quest to find a cure so that she can return to her normal life.
Set in Spain during the 1950s, this novel tells the story of how Daniel, an eighteen-year-old American tourist, falls in love with a local girl, Ana, who lost her family during the Spanish Civil War.
Look up macabre for the last time
Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.
