witch hunt (historical persecution)
Refers to the historical persecution of people accused of witchcraft, especially in medieval Europe and colonial America.
witch hunt (modern figurative)
Figurative use for the persecution or scapegoating of people seen as a threat to society, often in political or social contexts.
Many innocent people were executed in the European witch hunts.
During the Cold War, there was a witch hunt against communists.
Compound of 魔女 (majo, 'witch') and 狩り (kari, 'hunting'), literally 'witch hunting'. The figurative sense is a semantic extension from the historical practice.