dictionary help| decimate | medical dictionary |
1. To take the tenth part of; to tithe.
2. To select by lot and punish with death every tenth man of; as, to decimate a regiment as a punishment for mutiny.
3. To destroy a considerable part of; as, to decimate an army in battle; to decimate a people by disease.
Origin: L. Decimatus, p. P. Of decimare to decimate (in senses 1 & 2), fr. Decimus tenth. See Decimal.
(01 Mar 1998)
decile, decile, decilitre, decimal point < Prev | Next > decimetre, decimorgan, decimosexto
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