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decimate

verb

dec·​i·​mate ˈde-sə-ˌmāt How to pronounce decimate (audio)
decimated; decimating

transitive verb

1
: to select by lot and kill every tenth man of
decimate a regiment
2
: to exact a tax of 10 percent from
poor as a decimated Cavalier John Dryden
3
a
: to reduce drastically especially in number
cholera decimated the population
Kamieniecki's return comes at a crucial time for a pitching staff that has been decimated by injuries. Jason Diamos
b
: to cause great destruction or harm to
firebombs decimated the city
an industry decimated by recession
decimation
ˌde-sə-ˈmā-shən How to pronounce decimate (audio)
noun

Did you know?

The connection between decimate and the number ten harks back to a brutal practice of the army of ancient Rome. A unit that was guilty of a severe crime (such as mutiny) was punished by selecting and executing one-tenth of its soldiers, thereby scaring the remaining nine-tenths into obedience. The word comes from Latin decem, meaning "ten." Decimate strayed from its "tenth" meaning and nowadays refers to the act of destroying or hurting something in great numbers.

Synonyms

Example Sentences

This kind of moth is responsible for decimating thousands of trees in our town. Budget cuts have decimated public services in small towns.
Recent Examples on the Web Unexpected events can decimate demand and disrupt operations for years. Kelly Yamanouchi, ajc, 8 Sep. 2022 The mass flight of human capital—tech workers, academics, journalists, and anti-war activists—could decimate certain sectors and hurt a Russian economy that’s already reeling and largely cut off from international trade and business. Yvonne Lau, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2022 Russia’s current, large-scale brain drain of young, skilled and educated citizens, could decimate sectors from journalism, to academia, and technology, experts say. Yvonne Lau, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2022 Only option is a trade that could decimate the Heat’s younger players. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2022 The lives of two women intersect through crisis after disasters due to climate change and government neglect decimate the impoverished mountainsides of western Puerto Rico. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 25 July 2022 The lives of two women intersect through crisis after disasters due to climate change and government neglect decimate the impoverished mountainsides of western Puerto Rico. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 July 2022 Canadian officials fear Biden’s proposal could decimate the country’s automobile sector. Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2022 Sniper rifles trade a rapid rate of fire for accuracy and range, and are meant to decimate enemy forces by eliminating select targets (such as field commanders) and supporting weapon handlers, radiomen, and others. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 2 Mar. 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Latin decimatus, past participle of decimare, from decimus tenth, from decem ten

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of decimate was in 1660

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