decimation
Americannoun
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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.
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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.
Etymology
Origin of decimation
First recorded in 1450–1500, for an earlier sense; from Latin decimātiōn-, stem of decimātiō “a punishing of every tenth man”; decimate ( def. ), -ion ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ransone appeared in all 12 episodes of the show’s second season, which focused on the decimation of the city’s docks.
From Los Angeles Times
Food and Agriculture Organization as part of its decimation of the U.S.
From Los Angeles Times
In the 1990s, the unintentional decimation of the vulture populations in India led to an increased awareness of their role in human health.
From BBC
The 1921 racist massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the resulting decimation of the booming wealth center known as Black Wall Street, aren’t included in elementary and high school textbooks.
From Salon
What is beyond doubt is the decimation of a family who have been a source of fascination and speculation in their native Norway and far beyond.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
