Decimate is a verb meaning to destroy a large portion of something or to kill one in every ten of a group, historically used in Roman military punishment and now often means extensive destruction or reduction. In modern usage it can imply severe or systematic destruction, or a dramatic reduction in numbers or severity, sometimes more hyperbolic than literal. It can also denote precise reduction in statistics or a sweeping impact.
"The storm decimated the coastal town, leaving widespread damage."
"In ancient Rome, soldiers were decimated as a punishment for mutiny."
"The new policy decimates inefficiencies, cutting waste by half."
"If demand decimates the supply, prices will rise quickly."
Decimate derives from Latin decimatus, past participle of decimare, meaning to take a tenth. This, in turn, comes from decimus ‘tenth’ and the verb decimare ‘to take a tenth,’ linked to the Roman military practice of punishing every tenth man in a unit by death or heavy punishment. The term entered English via Medieval Latin in the sense of “to reduce by a tenth” and evolved through the centuries to its broader modern meaning of “to destroy a large portion.” While originally precise, the modern sense often extends to sweeping destruction, not strictly one-tenth. The first known uses in English appeared in the 16th–17th centuries in military and legal contexts, and by the 18th–19th centuries it had broadened to general figurative use. In contemporary usage, decimate often signals dramatic reduction rather than exact mathematical decimation, though some speakers still retain the precise sense in formal or historical discussions.
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Words that rhyme with "Decimate"
-ate sounds
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Pronounce it as /ˈdɛsɪˌmeɪt/. For most speakers the primary stress sits on the first syllable: DE-sih-mate, with a secondary, lighter stress on -me-. The first vowel is a short e as in 'bed' (ɛ), the second vowel in the third syllable is a long a (eɪ) as in 'mate'. The 'ti' is given a 't' sound followed by a long eɪ, so it ends with -meɪt. Listen to native models: you’ll hear a crisp T articulation before the final long vowel. Audio reference: consult Cambridge/Forvo pronunciations and YouGlish examples for native usage.
Two frequent errors: misplacing the stress and mispronouncing the final -mate. Some say /ˈdɪsɪˌmeɪt/ with a short first vowel, which flattens the rhythm; correct to /ˈdɛsɪˌmeɪt/ with the short e (as in 'bed'). Another error is devoicing or slurring the t at the end; practice crisp /t/ release before the final /eɪt/. Ensure the /s/ is voiceless, not a /z/ sound, and keep the 'mate' syllable clear with a full /eɪt/. Use slow repetition and audio models to calibrate tongue placement.
All three accents share /ˈdɛsɪˌmeɪt/, but vowel quality and rhythm vary. US/UK share rhoticity differences mainly in vowels; the /ɛ/ in the first syllable tends to be slightly tenser in American speech. The /ˌmeɪt/ ending tends to be a clearer long vowel with a crisp /t/ in American and British models; Australian speakers may reduce the final /t/ to a flapped or glottal variant in casual speech, giving /ˈdɛsɪˌmeɪɾ/ or /ˈdɛsɪˌmei̯t/. In careful speech, all avoid heavy merging and keep the /t/ release distinct.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic rhythm and the subtle vowel shifts. The first syllable uses a mid-front vowel /ɛ/ that you might not consistently hear, followed by a light /s/ before a strong /ɪ/ in the second syllable. The sequence /ˌmeɪt/ ends with a tense diphthong that can be softened in casual speech. The combination of a stressed first syllable, a secondary stress on -mate, and a crisp /t/ at the end requires precise tongue positioning and air flow, which can be challenging for non-native or rapid speech.
The word often carries two stresses in American models: primary on the first syllable and secondary on the third syllable in certain pronunciations, which can create a four-beat rhythm when spoken slowly: DE-si-MATE. In careful articulation, avoid reducing the /ˈdɛs/ portion or compressing the -si- into a schwa; keep the sequence clear: /ˈdɛsɪˌmeɪt/. This word’s cadence can feel sing-song if mis-stressed, so aim for steady tempo with a crisp final -ate.
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