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delete

[ dih-leet ]
/ dɪˈlit /
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See synonyms for: delete / deleted / deleting on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), de·let·ed, de·let·ing.

to strike out or remove (something written or printed); cancel; erase; expunge.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!

Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!
Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
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Origin of delete

1485–95; <Latin dēlētus (past participle of dēlēre to destroy), equivalent to dēl- destroy + -ē- thematic vowel + -tus past participle suffix

synonym study for delete

See cancel.

OTHER WORDS FROM delete

de·let·a·ble, adjectivere·de·lete, verb (used with object), re·de·let·ed, re·de·let·ing.un·de·let·ed, adjective

Words nearby delete

delegate, delegation, delegatory, delegitimize, de Lesseps, delete, deleterious, deletion, deleverage, deleveraging, delft
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

VOCAB BUILDER

What is basic definition of delete?

Delete means to remove or destroy something, specifically something that is written, printed, or stored on a computer.

Before the Internet, delete often referred to removing something from drafts of books, letters, newspapers, and other materials. Today, delete often refers to either hitting a key on a keyboard that erases text or telling a computer to get rid of a file, as by placing a document in the trash can. A person may also want to delete (deactivate) a social media account.

  • Real-life examples: When you’re writing an essay, you might delete some paragraphs and add others. To better use data storage space, you might delete all of your junk email or delete a bunch of photos from your smartphone.
  • Used in a sentence: The reporter deleted the final two paragraphs of the story in order to make it shorter. 

Where does delete come from?

The first records of delete come from around 1485. It comes from the Latin dēlēre, meaning “to destroy.”

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What are some other forms related to delete?

  • deletion (noun)
  • deletable (adjective)
  • redelete (verb)
  • undeleted (adjective)

What are some synonyms for delete?

What are some words that share a root or word element with delete? 

What are some words that often get used in discussing delete?

How is delete used in real life?

Delete is a common word that most often refers to destroying or erasing something on a computer.

Try using delete!

True or False?

If you delete a text message, you are erasing it from your device.

Words related to delete

wipe out, annul, expunge, edit, omit, eliminate, destroy, black out, exclude, cut out, cross out, efface, trim, obliterate, decontaminate, rub, drop, squash, snip, squelch

Example sentences from the Web for delete

British Dictionary definitions for delete

delete
/ (dɪˈliːt) /

verb

(tr) to remove (something printed or written); erase; cancel; strike out

Word Origin for delete

C17: from Latin dēlēre to destroy, obliterate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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