Decimation
/ˌdɛs.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/noun
The act of destroying a large proportion of something.
Did you know?In ancient Rome, 'decimation' was a punishment for mutinous troops, where every tenth soldier was executed, a grim reminder of authority's wrath.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
decimatio
“a punishment involving the killing of one in every ten”
1st Century
Latin
decimare
“to take a tenth; to destroy a significant portion”
Middle Ages
Old French
decimer
“to destroy a group or proportion of something”
16th Century
English
decimation
“the act of killing one in every ten; used metaphorically for massive destruction”
Modern English
English
decimation
“widespread destruction or slaughter, often used in a more general sense than its original brutal context.”