macabre

UK: /məˈkɑːbrə/

US: /məˈkɑbrə, -ˈkɑb/

US: (mə kä′brə, -käb′, -kä′bər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ma•ca•bre /məˈkɑbrə, -ˈkɑb/   adj. 

1. gruesome;
   ghastly, esp. relating to death:
   eerie, macabre tales of violence.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ma•ca•bre  (mə kä′brə, -käb′, -kä′bər), adj. 

1. gruesome and horrifying;
   ghastly;
   horrible.
2. of, pertaining to, dealing with, or representing death, esp. its grimmer or uglier aspect.
3. of or suggestive of the allegorical dance of death.

Also, ma•ca′ber. 

• Middle French danse (de) Macabré, of uncertain origin, originally; perh. to be identified with Medieval Latin chorēa Machabaeōrum a representation of the deaths of Judas Maccabaeus and his brothers, but evidence is lacking; the French pronunciation, pronounced with mute e is a misreading of the Middle French forms
• French; compare late Middle English Macabrees daunce
• 1400–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

macabre / məˈkɑːbə -brə/ adjective

1. gruesome; ghastly; grim

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French danse macabre dance of death, probably from macabé relating to the Maccabees, who were associated with death because of the doctrines and prayers for the dead in II Macc. (12:43–46)