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 CavalierJohn 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 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.

Examples of decimate in a Sentence

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 Neighborhoods southeast of Downtown San Diego were completely decimated by overrun stormwater drains and broken infrastructure. Shane Harris, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 In Guam, the invasive brown tree snake has become so pervasive, decimating the island’s native bird and lizard populations, that local authorities have resorted to desperate measures to try to eradicate the slithering fiends. Sarah Fecht, Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024 It’s already claimed the lives of at least two people and decimated cattle herds, forcing many ranchers to release their livestock to fend for themselves. Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 7 Mar. 2024 That means tourism for outdoor winter activities like snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing has been virtually nonexistent, decimating the local economies that depend on tourism. Rick Barrett, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 Kanye West’s comeback was fraught with legal issues and questions of whether the American public would accept him again after his career was decimated following a string of antisemitic remarks made by the rapper. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 Destructive flames threatening several homes in Citrus Heights decimated eight cars — at least some of them classics and one of them possibly nearly a century old — on Monday, according to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 12 Feb. 2024 A bit reminiscent of A Quiet Place, Arcadian takes place in a near future where normal life on Earth has been decimated. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024 Bronzeville, the heart of Milwaukee's Black community, is decimated for I-43 From the 1930s to 1950s, Bronzeville was the heart of Black culture and business in Milwaukee. Eva Wen, Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'decimate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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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Dictionary Entries Near decimate

Cite this Entry

“Decimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decimate. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

decimate

verb
dec·​i·​mate ˈdes-ə-ˌmāt How to pronounce decimate (audio)
decimated; decimating
1
: to pick by lot and kill every tenth man of
the Roman army would decimate a legion for cowardice
2
: to destroy a large part of
a population decimated by an epidemic
decimation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on decimate

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