eradicate
verb
Did you know?
The Root of Eradicate Is, Literally, Root
Given that eradicate first meant "to pull up by the roots," it's not surprising that the root of eradicate means, in fact, "root." Eradicate, which first turned up in English in the 16th century, comes from eradicatus, the past participle of the Latin verb eradicare. Eradicare, in turn, can be traced back to the Latin word radix, meaning "root" or "radish." Although eradicate began life as a word for literal uprooting, by the mid-17th century it had developed a metaphorical application to removing things the way one might yank an undesirable weed up by the roots. Other descendants of radix in English include radical and radish. Even the word root itself is related; it comes from the same ancient word that gave Latin radix.
Synonyms
Examples of eradicate in a Sentence
Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
She's violated her oath, eradicated our sovereign border, and unleashed an army of gangs and criminal migrants from prisons and jails.
—NBC News, 3 Nov. 2024
Pest control specialists have since visited the location and taken steps to eradicate the infestation, and the bugs pose no ongoing risk to the public, according to Kwik Trip public relations officer David Niemi.
—Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2024
Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon in its attempt to eradicate Hezbollah has led to calls for the resurrection of a nearly two-decade-old resolution that its proponents argue would help restore peace.
—Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Eradicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eradicate. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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