onslaught

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a sudden and severe onset of trouble
  2. noun (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
  3. noun the rapid and continuous delivery of linguistic communication (spoken or written)

Etymology

From on- + slaught. Formed after Middle Dutch aenslag, aenslach, equivalent to aen + slag, although slaught corresponds to Middle Dutch slacht; slag is cognate with the English weaving term sley. Compare Dutch aanslag and German Anschlag.

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