eradicate
verb
Did you know?
The Root of Eradicate Is, Literally, Root
Given that eradicate first meant "to pull up by the roots," it's not surprising that the root of eradicate means, in fact, "root." Eradicate, which first turned up in English in the 16th century, comes from eradicatus, the past participle of the Latin verb eradicare. Eradicare, in turn, can be traced back to the Latin word radix, meaning "root" or "radish." Although eradicate began life as a word for literal uprooting, by the mid-17th century it had developed a metaphorical application to removing things the way one might yank an undesirable weed up by the roots. Other descendants of radix in English include radical and radish. Even the word root itself is related; it comes from the same ancient word that gave Latin radix.
Examples of eradicate in a Sentence
Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
Although the red autumn fruits with yellow casings make a lovely Thanksgiving wreath, this woody vine is difficult to manage and eradicate.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 June 2025
Once this has occurred, the Penicillin-PPG is activated, eradicating bacteria that are present in the irradiated region.
—Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 13 June 2025
From the beginning, the emphasis was on a negative — eradicating Jewish rights and not on nation-building.
—Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for eradicate
Cite this Entry
“Eradicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eradicate. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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