depopulate

[ verb dee-pop-yuh-leyt; adjective dee-pop-yuh-lit, -leyt ]
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verb (used with object),de·pop·u·lat·ed, de·pop·u·lat·ing.
  1. to remove or reduce the population of, as by destruction or expulsion.

adjective
  1. Archaic. depopulated.

Origin of depopulate

1
1525–35; <Latin dēpopulātus devastated (past participle of dēpopulārī), equivalent to dē-de- + populātus;see populate

Other words from depopulate

  • de·pop·u·la·tion, noun
  • de·pop·u·la·tive, adjective
  • de·pop·u·la·tor, noun

Words Nearby depopulate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use depopulate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for depopulate

depopulate

/ (dɪˈpɒpjʊˌleɪt) /


verb
  1. to be or cause to be reduced in population

Derived forms of depopulate

  • depopulation, noun

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