decimate

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /ˈdɛsəmeɪt/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: deci‧mate

Verb

Plain form decimate

Third-person singular decimates

Past tense decimated

Past participle decimated

Present participle decimating

1. (transitive) If A decimates B, A kills or destroys a large part or number of B.

   The virus decimated the population of this country.

   The city was decimated by the storm.

2. (old, no longer used) If A decimates B, A kills one-tenth of B.