decimate

Meaning

Verb

1. (archaic) To kill one-tenth of (a group), (historical, specifically) as a military punishment in the Roman army selected by lot, usually carried out by the surviving soldiers.
2. To destroy or remove one-tenth of (something).
3. (broadly) To devastate: to reduce or destroy significantly but not completely.
4. (obsolete) To exact a tithe or other 10% tax.
5. (obsolete, rare) To tithe: to pay a 10% tax.
6. (obsolete) To divide into tenths; to decimalize.
7. (proscribed) To reduce to one-tenth: to destroy or remove nine-tenths of (something).
8. To replace (a high-resolution model) with another of lower but acceptable quality. (Usually algorithmically)

Noun

1. (obsolete) A tithe or other 10% tax or payment.
2. (obsolete) A tenth of something.
3. (obsolete) A set of ten items.

Synonyms

annihilate

eliminate

wipe out

extinguish

eradicate

exterminate

kill

🔪🩸👤

carry off

destroy

kill off

thin out

murder

massacre

devastate

ruin

spoil

undo

unfix

wreck

do for

shake down

abate

waste

blast

blemish

blight

bump off

deface

deflower

do in

expunge

impair

keep down

mar

mow down

reduce

Translations

decimare

diezmar

décimer

dezimieren

αποδεκατίζω

decimeren

dizimar

supprimer

delmar

annientare

auslöschen

annihiler

vernichten

aniquilar

anihilar

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/

Etymology

The verb is first attested in 1591, the noun in 1641; borrowed from Latin decimātus, perfect passive participle of decimō (“to kill one tenth; to tithe”) (see, from -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix)), from decimus (“tenth”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). As a noun, via Latin decimatus (“tithing area; tithing rights”).