eradicate
VerbUS[ih-rad-uh-keyt]/ɪˈrædəˌkeɪt/4 syllables
Open English WordNet
Verb (2)eradicated, eradicating
- kill in large numbers“the plague wiped out an entire population”Synonyms: eliminateannihilateextinguishwipe outdecimatecarry offMore general killSimilar decimate
- destroy completely, as if down to the roots“the vestiges of political democracy were soon uprooted”“root out corruption”Synonyms: uprootextirpateroot outexterminateMore general destroy, destruct
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Webster's Dictionary (1913)
E·rad′i·cate transitive verb [past tense & past participle Eradicated; present participle & verbal noun Eradicating.]
Origin: L. eradicatus, p. p. of eradicare to eradicate; e out + radix, radicis, root. See Radical.
1. To pluck up by the roots; to root up; as, an oak tree eradicated.
2. To root out; to destroy utterly; to extirpate; as, to eradicate diseases, or errors.
This, although now an old an inveterate evil, might be eradicated by vigorous treatment.— Robert Southey
Synonyms: To extirpate; root out; exterminate; destroy; annihilate.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54