extirpated

[ek-ster-pey-tid, ik-stur-pey-]

adjective

1. having been destroyed or removed.

   Histological examination determined that all the extirpated tumors were meningiomas.

2. Biology.,  (of a species) no longer found in a given area; locally or regionally extinct.

   In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the James River is the last confirmed holdout for the nearly extirpated Atlantic sturgeon.

   The successful reintroduction of an extirpated species such as the scarlet ibis indicates that it may be possible to recover at least part of the original biota of the region.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of extirpate.

Other Word Forms

• unextirpated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of extirpated¹

First recorded in 1695–1705; extirpate ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; extirpate ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

Wildlife officials have collared a dozen gray wolves in Northern California in an effort to better understand and manage the species that has made a comeback in the state after being extirpated a century ago.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It’s believed the owl with bright yellow eyes has been extirpated from 16% of its range in parts of the coast and Central Valley.

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“As a Californian, I feel it’s my obligation to do everything possible to bring back the extirpated, missing species that are no longer here in a functional way because of human activity.”

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It’s unclear what grizzlies of the North Cascades may have eaten before they were extirpated, as little to no data is available on their diets and behaviors.

Read more on Seattle Times

Things have changed a lot since the bears were functionally extirpated from the area.

Read more on Seattle Times