Word of the Day: Decimate
PRONUNCIATION: [des-uh-meyt]
MEANING:
verb (used with object), dec·i·mat·ed, dec·i·mat·ing. 1. to destroy a great number or proportion of: The population was decimated by a plague. 2. to select by lot and kill every tenth person of. 3. Obsolete . to take a tenth of or from.
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ETYMOLOGY: 1590–1600; < Latin decimātus, past participle of decimāre to punish every tenth man chosen by lot, verbal derivative of decimus tenth, derivative of decem ten.
USAGE: Smallpox began to decimate the population.
SYNONYMS: annihilate, butcher, commit genocide, execute, exterminate, kill off, massacre, obliterate, slaughter, stamp out, wipe out
PRONUNCIATION: [des-uh-meyt]
MEANING:
verb (used with object), dec·i·mat·ed, dec·i·mat·ing. 1. to destroy a great number or proportion of: The population was decimated by a plague. 2. to select by lot and kill every tenth person of. 3. Obsolete . to take a tenth of or from.
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SYNONYMS: annihilate, butcher, commit genocide, execute, exterminate, kill off, massacre, obliterate, slaughter, stamp out, wipe out
