View synonyms for decimation

decimation

[ des-uh-mey-shuhn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the destruction of a great number or proportion of people, animals, or things:
There is growing evidence that pesticide use is contributing significantly to the decimation of bee populations.
the act or practice of killing one-tenth of a population, as a punishment, to cull wild animals, or for other purposes:
The Roman Empire used decimation, executing 1 in 10 people—ordinary citizens, slaves, or soldiers—to quell mutinies, riots, and other uprisings.

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Word History and Origins

First recorded in 1450–1500, for an earlier sense; from Latin decimātiōn-, stem of decimātiō “a punishing of every tenth man”; decimate ( def ), -ion ( def )

Related Words

assassination
bloodbath
bloodshed
carnage
extermination
genocide
murder
slaughter
slaying

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