decimation
[ des-uh-mey-shuhn ]
/ ˌdɛs əˈmeɪ ʃən /
Save This Word!
noun
the destruction of a great number or proportion of people, animals, or things:There is growing evidence that pesticide use is contributing significantly to the decimation of bee populations.
the act or practice of killing one-tenth of a population, as a punishment, to cull wild animals, or for other purposes:The Roman Empire used decimation, executing 1 in 10 people—ordinary citizens, slaves, or soldiers—to quell mutinies, riots, and other uprisings.
QUIZ
GOOSES. GEESES. I WANT THIS QUIZ ON PLURAL NOUNS!
Test how much you really know about regular and irregular plural nouns with this quiz.
Question 1 of 9
Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?
Words nearby decimation
decimal point, decimals, decimal system, decimate, decimated, decimation, décime, decimeter, decimetre, decimus, decinormal
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022