decimate

/ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/

//ˈdɛsɪmeɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"decimate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“decimate” is an uncommon English word, ranked #52,878 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#52,878
frequency rank, English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To kill one-tenth of (a group), (historical, specifically) as a military punishment in the Roman army selected by lot, usually carried out by the surviving soldiers.

Key facts for decimate
PropertyValue
Headworddecimate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#52,878
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “decimate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). decimate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for decimate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #52,878 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

decimate doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: The verb is first attested in 1591, the noun in 1641; borrowed from Latin decimātus, perfect passive participle of decimō (“to kill one tenth; to tithe”) (see, from -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix)), from decimus (“tenth”) + -ō (ver… The correct English form is decimate, spelled D-E-C-I-M-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To kill one-tenth of (a group), (historical, specifically) as a military punishment in the Roman army selected by lot, usually carried out by the surviving soldiers.
  2. 2
    To destroy or remove one-tenth of (something).
  3. 3
    To devastate: to reduce or destroy significantly but not completely.
  4. 4
    To exact a tithe or other 10% tax.
  5. 5
    To tithe: to pay a 10% tax.
  6. 6
    To divide into tenths; to decimalize.
  7. 7
    To reduce to one-tenth: to destroy or remove nine-tenths of (something).
  8. 8
    To replace (a high-resolution model) with another of lower but acceptable quality. (Usually algorithmically)

Etymology

The verb is first attested in 1591, the noun in 1641; borrowed from Latin decimātus, perfect passive participle of decimō (“to kill one tenth; to tithe”) (see, from -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix)), from decimus (“tenth”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). As a noun, via Latin decimatus (“tithing area; tithing rights”).

This word in other languages

diezmar(Español)décimer(Français)dezimieren(Deutsch)dizimar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "decimate"?
"decimate" is spelled D-E-C-I-M-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/.
What does "decimate" mean?
As a verb, "decimate" means: To kill one-tenth of (a group), (historical, specifically) as a military punishment in the Roman army selected by lot, usually carried out by the surviving soldiers.
How do you pronounce "decimate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "decimate" is /ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "decimate"?
The verb is first attested in 1591, the noun in 1641; borrowed from Latin decimātus, perfect passive participle of decimō (“to kill one tenth; to tithe”) (see, from -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix)), from decimus (“tenth”)... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “decimate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-C-I-M-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list