English
hemoclysm
Hemoclysm comes from Ancient Greek κλυσμός ‘wash’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκλυσμόςklusmós‘wash’
- Englishearliest quotation 1998hemoclysm
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκλυσμόςklusmós‘wash’
- Englishearliest quotation 1998hemoclysm
Earliest quotation: 1998, Matthew White, 30 Worst Atrocities of the 20th Century: “It's very possible, therefore, that future historians will consider…”
The story
Coined by Matthew White (a historian) (see citation 1998, below), from hemo- + Ancient Greek κλυσμός (klusmós, “wash; flood”).
Every English word from Ancient Greek κλυσμός
Today it means
noun A violent and bloody conflict, a bloodbath; specifically (chiefly with capital initial), the period of the mid-twentieth century encompassing both world wars.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek κλυσμός / hemoclysm