Definitions for Decimate
ˈdɛs əˌmeɪtdec·i·mate

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. decimateverb

   kill one in every ten, as of mutineers in Roman armies

2. eliminate, annihilate, extinguish, eradicate, wipe out, decimate, carry offverb

   kill in large numbers

   "the plague wiped out an entire population"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. decimateverb

   To kill one man chosen by lot out of every ten in a legion or other military group.

2. decimateverb

   To reduce anything by one in ten, or ten percent.

3. decimateverb

   To exact a tithe, or tax of 10 percent.

4. decimateverb

   To reduce to one-tenth.

5. decimateverb

   To severely reduce; to destroy almost completely.

6. decimateverb

   To replace a high-resolution model with one of lower resolution but acceptably similar appearance.

7. Etymology: From Latin decimare "to take the tenth (decimus) part of anything", in particular referring to the levying and payment of tithe and also the practice of capital punishment applied to one man at random (by lot) out of every ten in a legion; compare quintate.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. To DECIMATEverb

   To tithe; to take the tenth.

   Etymology: decimus, Latin.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. decimate

   Decimate generally means to kill, destroy, or remove a large portion or percentage of something. It can be used to describe significant damage, destruction, or loss.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Decimateverb

   to take the tenth part of; to tithe

2. Decimateverb

   to select by lot and punish with death every tenth man of; as, to decimate a regiment as a punishment for mutiny

3. Decimateverb

   to destroy a considerable part of; as, to decimate an army in battle; to decimate a people by disease

4. Etymology: [L. decimatus, p. p. of decimare to decimate (in senses 1 & 2), fr. decimus tenth. See Decimal.]

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Decimate

   des′i-māt, v.t. to take the tenth part of: to put to death every tenth man.—ns. Decimā′tion, a military punishment, by which every tenth man was selected by lot and put to death or otherwise punished; Dec′imator. [L. decimāre, -ātum—decimus, tenth.]

Matched Categories

1. • Kill

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Anagrams for Decimate »

1. medicate

How to pronounce Decimate?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Decimate in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Decimate in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Decimate in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of Decimate in a Sentence

1. Tom Slunecka:

   We have got about a month and a half where we can play with this thing and then after that, these prices have to be corrected, so we urge the administration to do what it has to do and do it quickly, if we get into harvest with prices like they are, it will decimate much of farm country.

2. David Letterman:

   I really had great admiration for the fact that she was able to just walk into that room and decimate the place.

3. Gregory Conley:

   As proposed, the FDA’s regulation would decimate nearly every single small and medium-sized business in this market, thousands of businesses would close overnight. And nearly the entire e-cigarette market would become either big tobacco or firms that are backed heavily by Wall Street money.

4. Nancy Northup:

   If this oppressive law takes effect, it will decimate abortion access in Texas -- and that's exactly what it is designed to do, the state has put a bounty on the head of any person or entity who so much as gives a patient money for an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, before most people know they are pregnant. Worse, it will intimidate loved ones from providing support for fear of being sued.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=Decimate
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Decimate
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=Decimate
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Decimate
6. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=Decimate
7. ^ Usage in printed sources
   https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Decimate