Understanding Decimate: A Look at the Word's History and Meaning

Decimate is a verb that means to kill or destroy a large portion of a group or population, often suddenly and unexpectedly. The word is derived from the Latin "decimare," which means "to take a tenth." In ancient Rome, the term was used to describe the practice of selecting every tenth man in a group for execution, as a form of punishment or retribution.
In modern usage, decimate has come to be used more broadly to describe any significant loss of life or damage to a group or population, regardless of whether it is due to a specific cause or event. For example, a natural disaster might decimate a community, or a disease might decimate a population.
It's worth noting that while the word decimate is often used to describe a large and sudden loss of life, it does not necessarily imply that all members of a group will be killed. Rather, it suggests that a significant portion of the group has been lost or destroyed.