decimate

[des-uh-meyt]

verb (used with object)

decimated, decimating 

1. to kill or destroy a great number or proportion of.

   The population was decimated by a plague.

2. to greatly reduce in number or amount.

   From 1975-1981, our country was not driving the space exploration agenda, and our aerospace workforce was decimated.

3. to cause to suffer great loss or harm.

   The constant eruptions that spewed forth decimated the forest and turned it to ash.

4. to select by lot and kill every tenth person of.

5. Obsolete.,  to take a tenth of or from.

decimate

/ ˈdɛsɪˌmeɪt /

verb

1. to destroy or kill a large proportion of

   a plague decimated the population

2. (esp in the ancient Roman army) to kill every tenth man of (a mutinous section)

Usage

One talks about the whole of something being decimated, not a part: disease decimated the population, not disease decimated most of the population

Other Word Forms

• decimation noun
• decimator noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of decimate¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin decimātus, past participle of decimāre “to punish every tenth man chosen by lot,” verbal derivative of decimus “tenth,” derivative of decem “ten”; ten, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of decimate¹

C17: from Latin decimāre, from decimus tenth, from decem ten

Example Sentences

"And you know, the UK High Street is being decimated with closures."

Read more on BBC

But with its backfield depth decimated — and the toughest stretch of the Trojans schedule ahead — Riley and his staff will have to figure out how proceed starting Saturday at Notre Dame.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Significant portions of Hamas’s tunnel networks have been destroyed, its leadership has been decimated, and its ability to launch attacks has been severely degraded.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Israel, meanwhile, is loath to let up too soon on an enemy that has been decimated and fragmented into small groups by its advance.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Or the devastating Pasadena and Altadena wildfires that decimated historic libraries and cultural archives.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• annihilate 
• exterminate 
• obliterate 
• slaughter 
• wipe out