pogrom

Where does the word "pogrom" come from? It comes from Russian pogrom, and was adopted directly into English (1880s).

Pogrom’s story begins in Russian: pogrom meant “devastation, destruction.” Literally devastation, used for violent riots against Jewish communities. It reached English by 1880s as pogrom. Russian 'devastation'; the anti-Jewish riots of 1881–82 after Alexander II's assassination spread the word. Today, pogrom means an organized massacre or persecution of an ethnic or religious group.

1. Stage 1 · Russian · 1800s pogrom "devastation, destruction", literally devastation, used for violent riots against Jewish communities.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1880s pogrom "organized violent persecution of an ethnic group", Russian 'devastation'; the anti-Jewish riots of 1881–82 after Alexander II's assassination spread the word.