denude

[ dih-nood, -nyood ]

verb (used with object)

, de·nud·ed, de·nud·ing.

1. to make naked or bare; strip:

   The storm completely denuded the trees.

2. Geology. to subject to denudation.

denude

/ ˌdiː-; dɪˈnjuːd; ˌdɛnjʊˈdeɪʃən /

verb

1. to divest of covering; make bare; uncover; strip
2. to expose (rock) by the erosion of the layers above

Derived Forms

• denudation, noun
• deˈnuder, noun

Other Words From

• de·nud·ed adjective
• de·nud·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of denude¹

First recorded in 1505–15; from Latin dēnūdāre, equivalent to dē- de- + nūdāre “to lay bare”; nude

Word History and Origins

Origin of denude¹

C16: from Latin dēnūdāre; see nude

Example Sentences

On the contrary, Putin has created it only by denuding other key axes of the forces they need to defend against Ukrainian counterattacks.

From Time

They denude their coverage of any qualitative judgment that would inform voters that the party’s “cleverness” is lying, plain and simple.

From Washington Post

Huge swaths of underwater forest are being replaced by urchin “barrens” — denuded landscapes, desolate but for the spiky, spherical animals.

From Washington Post

“Privatize” rabbinic courts:  “denude” them of legal powers and government budgets.

From The Daily Beast

His restless jealousy of the Administration finds its explanation in his fear that it would denude his State of men.

From Project Gutenberg

She had never forgiven her husband for trying to denude Harry of his birthright.

From Project Gutenberg

Salt, even in quantities large enough to denude the soil of all vegetation, is never permanently injurious.

From Project Gutenberg

It had blood in its veins, like man, that a thrust of a knife could make redly gush forth and denude it to death.

From Project Gutenberg

He agreed with me that it was ill to denude the island of its young men, and I might count upon him to discourage the practice.

From Project Gutenberg