Return to the home page.

Expand/collapse menu.

Visit Our Sites

Unabridged Dictionary

Learner's Dictionary

Word Central for Kids

Collegiate Dictionary

Expand/collapse menu.

Premium Services

Unabridged Dictionary

Collegiate Dictionary

Encyclopedia Britannica

Institutional Subscriptions

Expand/collapse menu.

Expand/collapse menu.

Word of the Day

Subscriber Help

Expand/collapse menu.

More Word Games

Daily Crosswords

Expand/collapse menu.

Open Dictionary

Alphabetical Browse

Browse Categories

Submit an Entry

Expand/collapse menu.

Spelling Bee Hive

Hive Headquarters

Spelling Champion

Spelling Reform

Expand/collapse menu.

Word for the Wise

Today's Broadcast

Expand/collapse menu.

Books and CD-Roms

Online Services

Palm and Pocket PC

Expand/collapse menu.

Looking Up a Word

Citing the Dictionary

Audio Pronunciations

Word Games Help

Expand/collapse menu.

Merriam-Webster FAQ

Advertising Info

Copyright Notice

Also Visit:
Unabridged
Visual

ESL:
Learner's
for Kids:
Word Central
Spell It!

decimate

Browse the Dictionary:: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z; #

decimate

Main Entry:: dec·i·mate
Pronunciation:: \ˈde-sə-ˌmāt\
Function:: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s):: dec·i·mat·ed; dec·i·mat·ing
Etymology:: Latin decimatus, past participle of decimare, from decimus tenth, from decem ten
Date:: 1660

1: to select by lot and kill every tenth man of2: to exact a tax of 10 percent from <poor as a decimated Cavalier — John Dryden>3 a: to reduce drastically especially in number <cholera decimated the population> b: to cause great destruction or harm to <firebombs decimated the city> <an industry decimated by recession>

— dec·i·ma·tion

Listen to the pronunciation of decimation

\ˌde-sə-ˈmā-shən\ noun

Learn more about "decimate" and related topics at Britannica.com

See a map of "decimate" in the Visual Thesaurus

Find Jobs in Your City

Pronunciation Symbols