Meaning & use
omnicide
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountable
The complete destruction of all life on Earth, especially through human actions such as nuclear war or ecological collapse.
Grammar: Used as a mass noun; usually with the definite article: the threat of omnicide.
Patterns
- the threat of omnicide
- commit omnicide
- nuclear omnicide
Some philosophers argue that nuclear weapons make omnicide a real possibility.
The novel depicts a future in which omnicide has already happened.
Environmentalists warn that unchecked pollution could lead to omnicide.
Common combinations
- the threat of omnicide
- The threat of omnicide hung over the Cold War.
- nuclear omnicide
- They discussed the risk of nuclear omnicide.
- ecological omnicide
- Some fear ecological omnicide from climate change.
- prevent omnicide
- International treaties aim to prevent omnicide.
Synonyms and how they differ
- genocide
- Genocide targets a specific group, while omnicide targets all life.
- annihilation
- Annihilation can refer to any total destruction, not necessarily of all life.
Commonly confused: omnicide or genocide?
omnicide vs genocide
Genocide is the deliberate killing of a particular national, ethnic, or religious group; omnicide is the destruction of all life.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'omnicide' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Omnicide means the destruction of all life on Earth, so a nuclear war causing it fits. Option A describes genocide against a specific group, not all life. Option C refers to destruction of a habitat, not all life. Option D is too trivial.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “omnicide”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.