decimation
/ˌdɛsɪˈmeɪʃən/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 2.35 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
4
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "By decimation and a tythed death; / If thy Reuenges hunger for that Food, / Which Nature loathes, take thou the deſtin'd tenth, […]"
- "And the vvhole Army had cauſe to enquire into their own Rebellions, vvhen they ſavv the Lord of Hoſts, vvith a dreadful Decimation, taking off ſo many of our Brethren by the vvorſt of Executioners."
- "General Secretary Mick Lynch said: "It is crystal clear that the planned cutbacks on ScotRail and SWR are just the tip of the iceberg, as cynical employers use the cloak of COVID-19 to smuggle through the decimation of jobs and services on Britain's railways."
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin decimātiō, a punishment where every 10th man in a unit would be stoned to death by the men who were spared. Used by the Romans to keep order in their military. Compare septimation and vicesimation.
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: decimātiō
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌdɛsɪˈmeɪʃən/
- British English: /ˌdɛsɪˈmeɪʃən/