Word
exterminate
Phoneticsex·ter·mi·nate
US/ɪkˈstɝməˌneɪt/
UK/ɛkstˈɜːmɪnˌeɪt/
Definition
v. to kill all the members of a group of animals or insects. It is a strong word often used when talking about getting rid of pests or, in history, about killing a whole group of people.
v. to destroy or kill all members of a species or group. Often carries a strong connotation of total annihilation, frequently used in biological contexts regarding pest control or in historical contexts regarding genocide.
Examples
“The farmer used a special spray to exterminate the locusts.”
“The government launched a campaign to exterminate the invasive species that were destroying the local crops.”
Examples
simple
“The farmer used a special spray to exterminate the locusts.”
contextual
“The government launched a campaign to exterminate the invasive species that were destroying the local crops.”
Real-World Examples
“In turn, this allows them to better quarantine plants and exterminate invasive pests to contain the spread.” “The US government launched a campaign to systematically exterminate wolves towards the end of the 19th Century.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin exterminātus, perfect passive participle of exterminō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ex- (“thoroughly”) + terminō (“to finish, close, end”), from terminus (“limit, end”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/exterminate