decimate

Definition of Decimate in English :

1. decimate

kill one in every ten, as of mutineers in Roman armies

kill in large numbers

Example Sentences:
'the plague wiped out an entire population'

WordNet Lexical Database for English. Princeton University. 2010.

Decimate

verb (transitive)

1.

to destroy or kill a large proportion of

a plague decimated the population

2.

(esp in the ancient Roman army) to kill every tenth man of (a mutinous section)

verb transitiveWord forms: ˈdeciˌmated or ˈdeciˌmating

1. Obsolete

to select by lot and kill every tenth one of

2.

to destroy or kill a large part of

famine decimated the population

3. Obsolete

to take a tenth part of; tithe

tr.v. dec·i·mat·ed, dec·i·mat·ing, dec·i·mates

1. To destroy or kill a large part of (a group of people or organisms).

2. Usage Problem

a. To inflict great destruction or damage on: The storm decimated the region.

b. To reduce markedly in amount: a profligate heir who decimated his trust fund.

3. To select by lot and kill one in every ten of (a group of soldiers).