decimation

[ des-uh-mey-shuhn ]

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of decimation¹

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 )

Example Sentences

The desire for cattle-supporting land played an integral role in the systematic decimation of bison populations, as well.

From Salon

Former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen has called the closure of libraries "a decimation".

From BBC

The dazzling centerpiece is the “Crochet Coral Reef,” an ever-expanding sculpture inspired by the decimation of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

From Los Angeles Times

In fact, a recent study in the journal American Economic Review revealed that the unintentional decimation of India's vulture population has had tragic consequences for nearby humans.

From Salon

She said the "decimation of policing by the government" had left police officers exhausted as forces struggled to cope with the wave of unrest.

From BBC

Related Words

• assassination
• bloodbath
• bloodshed
• carnage
• extermination
• genocide
• murder
• slaughter
• slaying