exterminate

1 of 2

verb

ex·​ter·​mi·​nate ik-ˈstər-mə-ˌnāt 

exterminated; exterminating

transitive verb

: to get rid of completely usually by killing off

exterminate termites and cockroaches

extermination

ik-ˌstər-mə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

exterminator

ik-ˈstər-mə-ˌnā-tər 

noun

exterminator

2 of 2

noun

ex·​ter·​mi·​na·​tor -ˌnātə(r) 

-ātə-

plural -s

: one that exterminates: such as

a

: one that rids a place of vermin by fumigating

called also fumigator

b

: something (such as a chemical preparation) used for exterminating

Did you know?

Originally, to exterminate something was to banish it or drive it away. And it is this meaning that can be found in the Latin origin of "exterminate." "Exterminate" comes from "exterminatus," the past participle of exterminare, meaning "to drive beyond the boundaries." The Latin word exterminare was formed from the prefix ex- ("out of" or "outside") and "terminus" ("boundary"). Not much more than a century after its introduction to English, "exterminate" came to denote destroying or utterly putting an end to something. And that's the use with which the word is usually employed today.

Synonyms of exterminate

Verb

• eradicate
• erase
• abolish
• destroy

Choose the Right Synonym for exterminate

exterminate, extirpate, eradicate, uproot mean to effect the destruction or abolition of something.

exterminate implies complete and immediate extinction by killing off all individuals.

exterminate cockroaches

extirpate implies extinction of a race, family, species, or sometimes an idea or doctrine by destruction or removal of its means of propagation.

many species have been extirpated from the area

eradicate implies the driving out or elimination of something that has established itself.

a campaign to eradicate illiteracy

uproot implies a forcible or violent removal and stresses displacement or dislodgment rather than immediate destruction.

the war uprooted thousands

Examples of exterminate in a Sentence

Verb

We made arrangements to have the termites exterminated.

The invaders nearly exterminated the native people.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

More than a month after bedbugs were discovered in the California Department of Education headquarters, leadership has pledged to treat the entire building to exterminate the insects. — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026

The only flamingo native to North America was exterminated in Florida by the early part of the twentieth century. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 6 July 2026

This acts as both treatment and prevention; adults are exterminated and the lifecycle is disrupted. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 6 July 2026

That conversion and conquest crusade brought disease and defeat to native Californians, whose numbers and ways of life would be all but exterminated by the time the United States of America celebrated its first 100 years. — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin exterminatus, past participle of exterminare, from ex- + terminus boundary — more at term entry 1

Noun

Late Latin, from Latin exterminatus + -or

First Known Use

Verb

1591, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for exterminate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

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Kids Definition

exterminate

verb

ex·​ter·​mi·​nate ik-ˈstər-mə-ˌnāt 

exterminated; exterminating

: to get rid of completely

exterminate termites

extermination

-ˌstər-mə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

exterminator

-ˈstər-mə-ˌnāt-ər 

noun