Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

dilapidate

/dɪˈlæp.ɪ.deɪt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: di-lap-i-date
IPA: /dɪˈlæp.ɪ.deɪt/

14

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

4

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To cause to become ruined or put into disrepair.

Transitive verb

verb

To squander or waste.

Transitive verb

verb

To fall into ruin or disuse.

Archaic; Intransitive verb

adj

Archaic; Obsolete

Example Sentences

"If the bishop, parson, or vicar, etc., dilapidates the buildings, or cuts down the timber of the patrimony[…]"
"In the last days of autumn he had whitewashed the chalet, painted the doors, windows, and veranda, repaired the roof and interior, and improved the place so much that the landlord had warned him that the rent would be raised at the expiration of his twelvemonth's tenancy, remarking that a tenant could not reasonably expect to have a pretty, rain-tight dwelling-house for the same money as a hardly habitable ruin. Smilash had immediately promised to dilapidate it to its former state at the end of the year."
"The patrimony of the bishopric of Oxon was much dilapidated."

Etymology

From Latin dilapidō (“to scatter, consume, throw away”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix), from dis- (“asunder”) + lapidō (“to stone”), from lapis (“stone”). Compare French dilapider.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /dɪˈlæp.ɪ.deɪt/
British English: /dɪˈlæp.ɪ.deɪt/

Usage

Inflected Forms

dilapidates (present, singular) dilapidating (participle, present) dilapidated (participle, past) dilapidated (past) more dilapidate (comparative) most dilapidate (superlative)

Frequently Paired Words

lapidate

Synonyms

decay crumble

Questions

How do you pronounce dilapidate?: The recorded pronunciation is /dɪˈlæp.ɪ.deɪt/.
What does dilapidate mean?: To cause to become ruined or put into disrepair.
Where does dilapidate come from?: From Latin dilapidō (“to scatter, consume, throw away”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix), from dis- (“asunder”) + lapidō (“to stone”), from lapis (“stone”). Compare French dilapider.

How to pronounce dilapidate

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