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Definition of: decimate
(des′ə·māt) v.t. ·mat·ed, ·mat·ing
1. To destroy or kill a large proportion of.
2. To select by lot and kill one out of every ten of.
3. Obs. To exact a tithe from; take a tenth part of. [<L decimatus, pp. of decimare take a tenth part from <decem ten]
—dec′i·ma′tion noun
—dec′i·ma′tor noun
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