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Where does the word "decimate" come from? It comes from Latin decimare, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).
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Where does the word "decimate" come from? It comes from Latin decimare, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).
Decimate’s story begins in Latin: decimare meant “to take a tenth.” To take a tenth, a Roman military punishment of executing one in ten soldiers. It reached English by 1600s as decimate. Broadened from removing a literal tenth to destroying a large part of something. Today, decimate means to destroy or kill a large proportion of something.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient decimare "to take a tenth", to take a tenth, a Roman military punishment of executing one in ten soldiers.
- Stage 2 · English · 1600s decimate "to destroy a large proportion of something", broadened from removing a literal tenth to destroying a large part of something.