English Explanatory Dictionary

delete

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To remove, get rid of or erase, especially written or printed material, or data on a computer or other device.
  2. To defeat or dominate.
  3. To kill or murder.
noun
  1. A deletion.
  2. A remainder of a music or video release.
  3. Alternative letter-case form of Delete.
  4. The delete character (U+007F or %7F).
noun
  1. A key that may be pressed to delete something (such as text or files) from a computer. The key also erases text from left to right, unlike the backspace key.

Pronunciation

/dɪˈliːt/ /diˈliːt/ /dəˈliːt/ en-us-delete.ogg

Word forms

delete deletes deleting deleted Del

Etymology

From Latin dēlētus, past participle of dēlēre (“destroy, blot out, efface”), from dēlēvī, originally perf. tense of dēlinere (“to daub, erase by smudging”), from dē- (“from, away”) + linere (“to smear, wipe”). Original sense first appears c. 1495. In common use for ordering the absence of features of products (such as automobiles) in the 1960s. The computing sense, including the noun form, first appears c. 1977 in Software: Practice & Experience. Not related to deleterious. Doublet of delible and deleble.

Synonyms

erase clear strike terminate remove redact rub out strike out obliterate cancel cross out score scrub scrap scratch expunge eliminate blue-pencil exclude squelch

Antonyms

insert maintain restore stet

Related words

delible diminish

Derived words

autodelete deletability deletable deletant deletee deleter deletia deletion deletive expletive deleted nondeleting redelete self-delete soft-delete speedy delete undelete dirty delete
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