decimate
Meanings
verb
- 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.
- To destroy or remove one-tenth of (something).
- To devastate: to reduce or destroy significantly but not completely.
- To exact a tithe or other 10% tax.
- To tithe: to pay a 10% tax.
- To divide into tenths; to decimalize.
- To reduce to one-tenth: to destroy or remove nine-tenths of (something).
- To replace (a high-resolution model) with another of lower but acceptable quality. (Usually algorithmically)
noun
- A tithe or other 10% tax or payment.
- A tenth of something.
- A set of ten items.
Pronunciation
Word forms
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”).
Synonyms
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Translations
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