exterminate — to kill or destroy completely, especially a large number of people, animals, or insects
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to kill or destroy completely, especially a large number of people, animals, or insects
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɪkˈstɜːrmɪneɪt/
Example Sentences
- The alien invasion movie showed how humans tried to exterminate the extraterrestrial bugs with giant spray cans.
- My grandmother's secret weapon to exterminate ants was cinnamon powder sprinkled around the kitchen.
- The vampire hunters gathered at midnight with garlic and wooden stakes to exterminate the undead menace.
exterminate
VERB[/ɪkˈstɜːrmɪneɪt/]
to kill or destroy completely, especially a large number of people, animals, or insects
The pest control team moved in to exterminate every termite in the old house.
Eliminate the threat, then terminate!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'exterminare', meaning 'to drive out or destroy', derived from 'ex-' (out) and 'terminus' (boundary or end). The word originally meant to drive beyond boundaries, later evolving to mean complete destruction.
Breakdown
ex- (out) + terminus (boundary/end) + -ate (verb suffix) = exterminate
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The alien invasion movie showed how humans tried to exterminate the extraterrestrial bugs with giant spray cans.”
“My grandmother's secret weapon to exterminate ants was cinnamon powder sprinkled around the kitchen.”
“The vampire hunters gathered at midnight with garlic and wooden stakes to exterminate the undead menace.”
“Scientists are working on new methods to exterminate disease-carrying mosquitoes without harming the ecosystem.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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