decimate — to destroy a large proportion of something; to severely damage
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to destroy a large proportion of something; to severely damage
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈdesɪmeɪt/
Example Sentences
- The pizza decimated my diet plan faster than I could say 'cheat day'.
- The pandemic decimated the travel industry worldwide.
- My bank account was decimated after one trip to the bookstore.
decimate
VERB[/ˈdesɪmeɪt/]
to destroy a large proportion of something; to severely damage
The wildfire decimated the ancient forest in just one night.
What we estimate to decimate becomes the ultimate fate.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'decimatus', the past participle of 'decimare', which comes from 'decimus' meaning 'tenth'. The term originally referred to a Roman military punishment where one in every ten soldiers was executed.
Breakdown
decem- (ten) + -ate (verb suffix) = decimate, literally meaning 'to reduce by one tenth', later generalized to mean 'to destroy a large proportion'
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The pizza decimated my diet plan faster than I could say 'cheat day'.”
“The pandemic decimated the travel industry worldwide.”
“My bank account was decimated after one trip to the bookstore.”
“The wildfire decimated thousands of acres of forest.”
📚Related Words
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