Decimate Decimate

Decimate - Definition and Overview
Related Words: Butcher, Damn, Demolish, Dissolve, Exterminate, Gut

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The term decimate has three usages:

  1. reduce by one tenth (1/10) - literal (ten reduced to nine)
  2. reduce to one tenth (1/10) - misconception (ten reduced to one)
  3. reduce by a considerable amount - common use (n reduced to much less than n)

Usage 1 is the correct according to a dictionary definition. It is explained by the Roman army practice whereby the leaders punished and motivated the legions, after defeats, by killing every tenth (deci-) man. See decimation.

Usage 2 is a common misconception of Usage 1, whereby people think that 'decimate' means to reduce to one tenth.

Usage 3 is the way in which the word exists in common usage amongst most speakers of English who simply use it to mean a drastic reduction.

Example Usage of Decimate
MrSynnn13: Decimate THE WEAAAAKKKKKK!!!!!
Evil_Ninja_Kat: Woke up to find the hubs playing mw2. Is it weird I find it hot to see him Decimate fools?
Scoonz: Man, Legions on Decimate the Weak is such an intense song.
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