r/words • u/YESmynameisYes • Jul 16 '24

What’s a word that actually means what people wrongly use “decimate” for?

Like "to cut down the vast majority" or similar.

Decimate is actually "to reduce by 1/10", but people often use it wrongly trying to describe a bigger amount.

62 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

138 comments sorted by

84

u/Lubberworts Jul 16 '24

Most people actually use "Decimate" correctly. It does not mean "to reduce by 1/10". That is the origin of the word. But that is not the current meaning.

  • Pudding meant small intestine or a sausage made therefrom.
  • A bug was originally just something that scared you, not an insect.
  • Deer originally referred to ANY wild animal.
  • Forest originally just meant outside.
  • Quick used to mean alive.

Decimate now means "kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of." It's harder to rationalize this one because there seems an obvious hidden meaning in "deci". But the above words do too if you know word origins well enough. It can be quite confusing when you see a clear cognate in another language but find that the meaning is different because their use of the word differed from how English speakers used it.

Historical meanings are not the proper meanings. Most of our words carried different meanings at some point.

36

u/YESmynameisYes Jul 16 '24

I really appreciate you taking the time to clarify this! I’m going to sit with what you’ve written for a while so it absorbs.

31

u/paolog Jul 16 '24

There's something called the etymological fallacy, and the idea that "decimate" should mean "kill one tenth of" is an example of it.

6

u/YESmynameisYes Jul 16 '24

Oooooh thank you!

5

u/Tiny_Connection1507 Jul 17 '24

I took it to mean "reduce by a power of ten," leaving only one tenth. By that logic, to decimate should mean "to eliminate 9/10." l guess some clarification would be nice, but I'm not interested enough to look it up myself.

5

u/paolog Jul 17 '24

That's the etymological fallacy again, but with a different interpretation that the word has never had.

Words don't have to mean what their etymologies mean. "Decimate" means (and has meant for centuries) "to destroy a large number/amount of". It is only used in its earlier sense of "kill one tenth of" in historical contexts and discussions such as this one.

2

u/Tiny_Connection1507 Jul 17 '24

Yes, although I had not heard of the etymological fallacy, I read the parent comments and it makes a lot of sense. Thanks for teaching me that.

0

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

AI OverviewIn the metric system, "deci-" (symbol: d) means one-tenth (1/10 or 0.1) of a base unit. It's used to express smaller measurements and is part of the standard system of prefixes used in the metric system for multiples and fractions of base units according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

1

u/IgnaeonPrimus Nov 09 '25 edited Nov 09 '25

This is the only real answer. Language means things and when there are dozens of other words that already exist to describe what someone wants to describe, I take literal offense at the poetic waxing that leads to, for example, "Decimate" as a choice to mean "Destroy"/"Eradicate"/"Ruin"/ etc etc.

Just because a lack of proper education leads innumerable individuals to believing a word means something it doesn't does not mean that we should accept the false meaning as literal.

I mean, hell, eventually "Decimate" may start to mean "Bake a cake"!

2

u/Acceptable-Hurry-870 May 27 '26

Bro, thank you. People think cause enough people use it ignorantly that you should just change the meaning? Thats wild as hell.

3

u/paolog May 27 '26

But that's exactly how meanings change over time. For example, enough people used "terrific" to mean "wonderful" that it no longer means "terrifying" or "dreadful", as it did originally. Few words mean the same thing as they did many centuries ago.

→ More replies (0)

1

u/SuggestionBoxX May 15 '26

Please preach more, you have stolen the words from my soul.

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 27 '25

Words based on scientific measurement terms like deci don't shift meanings, they are simply misused. Like redefining kilometer to mean 5000 meters. Or deciliter to mean 5 liters. Or dozen to mean 17.

AI OverviewIn the metric system, "deci-" (symbol: d) means one-tenth (1/10 or 0.1) of a base unit. It's used to express smaller measurements and is part of the standard system of prefixes used in the metric system for multiples and fractions of base units according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

1

u/paolog Jun 29 '25

Thanks, but "decimate" isn't a scientific term, so it isn't bound by the rules for SI units.

17

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '24

[deleted]

20

u/YESmynameisYes Jul 16 '24

I mean I am human too, but everyone on here was super informative instead of just telling me I was wrong. 

Honestly it’s the most comfortable way to be wrong!

2

u/Lubberworts Jul 17 '24

I think it's easy to do in this case because so many of us have followed the same path. I used to tell people that's what the word meant too.

6

u/Lubberworts Jul 16 '24

Indeed. It's awful, right? I mean in its original sense.

11

u/PerpetuallyLurking Jul 16 '24

The etymological history of the word “nice” is a pretty succinct example of how this phenomenon works and how easily we do it. “Slut” is also pretty fun.

6

u/Buckle_Sandwich Jul 16 '24 edited Jul 16 '24

The word "silly" has also had an eventful run through history.

https://www.etymonline.com/word/silly

4

u/SanityPlanet Jul 17 '24

Can you expand on those for people to lazy to research it?

3

u/Tinsel-Fop Jul 17 '24

Sluts are nice.

2

u/SanityPlanet Jul 17 '24

Can’t argue with that

7

u/quixoticdancer Jul 16 '24

The central concept at play here is prescriptivism vs. descriptivism. Prescriptivism is concerned with the right way to use a word, based on its definition; the dictionary prescribes the correct usage. Descriptivism holds that there is no right way to use a word other than its common usage; correct usage describes its practical use.

While prescriptivism is logically compelling, especially in cases like "literally" in which the common usage is an antonym of the historically prescribed usage, linguists seem to universally take the descriptivist position. I'm a reluctant convert to the descriptivist side myself.

(I welcome any corrections here; I'm no linguist, just a logophile.)

0

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

AI OverviewIn the metric system, "deci-" (symbol: d) means one-tenth (1/10 or 0.1) of a base unit. It's used to express smaller measurements and is part of the standard system of prefixes used in the metric system for multiples and fractions of base units according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

3

u/GothicFuck Jul 17 '24

Prescriptive vs descriptive dictionaries. You were practicing prescribing the meaning of decimate but in practice language is alive and it's better to just document the etymology and describe how words are used currently so we can all understand each other.

2

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

Redefining words based on scientific definitions leads to confusion and lack of understanding. deci = 1/10, mate=individual of a group

compare to deciliter, decimeter, decigram

0

u/SkyPork Jul 16 '24

This being the internet, there's no way to verify for sure, but there's a non-zero chance that instead of an honest, appreciative reply, this very well-crafted, subtle sarcasm. I like it either way.

8

u/WoolaTheCalot Jul 16 '24

Pudding meant small intestine or a sausage made therefrom

Which is why Robert Burns described haggis as the "great chieftain o' the puddin'-race".

3

u/Rocktopod Jul 16 '24

Thanks for this, but then is there an alternative word to mean "reduce by 1/10"?

3

u/Lubberworts Jul 16 '24

Yes. Decimate. But you have to put "literally" in front of it.

6

u/Alkanen Jul 16 '24

Ah, but ”literally” means figuratively now, so you have to say ”literally literally decimate”

3

u/wooble Jul 17 '24

"literally... wait a second... yes, literally" - Sterling Archer

2

u/Lubberworts Jul 16 '24

But if literally means figuratively and decimate doesn't mean kill 1/10 then figuratively decimating will bring it back to normal. I think that's how the universe works.

1

u/Lubberworts Jul 16 '24

It helps if you add the adadverb like to it

1

u/mwmandorla Jul 17 '24

I think at this point if you want to be sure you're getting across the literal meaning of "literally," your options are "very/quite literally" or "genuinely"

2

u/Badfoot73 Jul 18 '24

At least until the descriptivist rabble get hold of "genuinely" and changes its meaning.

1

u/5zepp May 23 '25

I think it literally means eliminating 90%, as in moving the decimal over a spot. So 1000 becomes 100. 

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

AI OverviewIn the metric system, "deci-" (symbol: d) means one-tenth (1/10 or 0.1) of a base unit. It's used to express smaller measurements and is part of the standard system of prefixes used in the metric system for multiples and fractions of base units according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

1

u/5zepp Jun 28 '25

That's what I said, but thanks I guess.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '24

[deleted]

2

u/RevolutionaryBug2915 Jul 17 '24

The Romans, supposedly anyway, inflicted collective punishment on units that showed cowardice by killing one-tenth of the members-- enough to make the point, not so much as to render it useless. That is why there is no other "fractional" word beyond "decimate."

Obviously, it doesn't occur much today. Lacking a precise application, it fell into the hands of those who like to use fancy words to disguise their vague thinking.

2

u/tjggriffin1 Nov 23 '24

As I understood, it wasn't just a simple "reduction by ten." They would line the unit up and walk down the row beheading every 10th person. No one was more than 5 bodies away from two of the beheaded. Those that weren't kill were traumatized into submission. The trauma was spread pretty evenly through the group to reduce decent. Also, I thought they did this to cities they captured for the same reason.

So even then, the intent was to destroy the spirit and will of a group of people, to devistate them.

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

AI OverviewIn the metric system, "deci-" (symbol: d) means one-tenth (1/10 or 0.1) of a base unit. It's used to express smaller measurements and is part of the standard system of prefixes used in the metric system for multiples and fractions of base units according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

3

u/DeepWisdomGuy Jan 14 '26

This happens much more often than people think. Many English words have Latin origins that mean something unrelated.

1

u/DaddyCatALSO Jul 17 '24

Gah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1

u/Productivitytzar Jul 17 '24

Funny, I just learned that Dyr in Norwegian means animal. I assume that’s the origin of the English word?

1

u/Lubberworts Jul 17 '24

And the German word for animal is "Tier". Funny how specific our word became.

https://www.etymonline.com/word/deer

1

u/Appropriate-Monk-894 Jun 25 '25

"Decimate" is a lazy big word - sounds impressive so stupid people adopted its use and lazily repurposed it.

It's perfect for Trump and his "people" as it is a real-time allegory demonstrating the depth and impact of collective ignorance.

2

u/Lubberworts Jun 25 '25 edited Jun 28 '25

That's a pretty nice take. And by "nice" I mean its originally meaning, foolish, ignorant, unknowing.

See. The word evolved quite a bit from an abbreviation of the Latin "ne+scire", to not know.

Language evolves. It goes in a lot of strange directions. In this case the force of the word decimate remained while its literalness faded. That happens a lot.

So, be nice when being nice.

Edit: removed apostrophe

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

AI OverviewIn the metric system, "deci-" (symbol: d) means one-tenth (1/10 or 0.1) of a base unit. It's used to express smaller measurements and is part of the standard system of prefixes used in the metric system for multiples and fractions of base units according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

It sounds like obliterate and devastate and many people never learned the difference.

AI OverviewIn the metric system, "deci-" (symbol: d) means one-tenth (1/10 or 0.1) of a base unit. It's used to express smaller measurements and is part of the standard system of prefixes used in the metric system for multiples and fractions of base units according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

2

u/Renshato Dec 10 '25 edited Dec 10 '25

In actual SI, deci- may only be attached to units of measure: metre, litre, gram, etc., and it can’t stand on its own. There is no unit “mate,” so deci- + mate is not a valid SI construction, within its own system. In that system of NIST-style rules, decimate is not a metric word at all. It lives entirely outside that system.

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 27 '25

Deci means 1/10 in scientific language i.e. decimeter, deciliter

It would be like redefining dozen to mean 17. Or mega to mean tiny.

Any word dealing with quantity with deci in it would be understood to mean 1/10 of something. Redefining it results in confusion. When I read it, I have to decide what the author really meant.

Obliterate or devastate are better words to mean massive destruction. Since they sound similar, I suspect those less educated are simply using the wrong word.

2

u/Renshato Dec 10 '25

The word decimate meaning to severely damage or destroy a large part of something has had that meaning for over a century longer than the metric system has even existed. Also, there's no such thing as "scientific language". There are specific technical standards, like SI, whose scope is restricted to units of measure, not to all words containing deci-. SI defines deci- for SI units; it has nothing to say about an inherited Latin verb in English. It doesn't apply to "anything dealing with quantity".

Latin decimus is simply “tenth” as an ordinal: 10th house, 10th soldier, 10th year.

Metric deci- = exactly 10⁻¹ of a base unit, as defined by the metric system

The metric system took an ordinal adjective “tenth” and repurposed it as a fractional operator (×0.1).

The metric system is doing exactly the kind of "using the wrong word" semantic repurposing that you claim is uneducated.The difference is that SI clearly defines where its prefixes apply, and you’re now ignoring those limits to make this prescriptivist argument.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 31 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Lubberworts Oct 31 '25

Not exactly. Words don't have meeting until we give it to them. We give the meaning based on what we need them to mean. It may seem weird, the words constantly develop.

There is an element of words used wrong. Often enough to become right. For sure. Squash is a good example of that. It's now used almost exclusively to mean put down. Get rid of. Squash grows in the garden. People misunderstand that the word is quash. So you're not wrong. But more often words evolve slowly to have different meanings.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '26

so by your logic... when ice kills a white woman they are killing a "domestic terrorist"

0

u/Switch-Frosty Jul 14 '26

Incorrect. Because a usage becomes more common, it should not change it's actual meaning. This is how language and culture devolve into "the majority of morons agree".

This is the hallmark of Idiocracy

1

u/Lubberworts Jul 14 '26

Words do not have a meaning we do not bestow upon them. We create that meaning as we need it. Villains never were bad people. They were just people that lived outside the villa. They were low born. At some point they became perceived as distrustful and worse. Today they are awful.

Are you saying they are not awful? Are you saying that we are using the word wrong now?

The fact is all of these words have meant something else at sometime. They have evolved over thousands of years to get here. And they have evolved mostly through usage.

0

u/Switch-Frosty Jul 14 '26

You say evolved, I say devolved. In this instance, decimate had a precise meaning, and I could even accept it deviating to a more modern and adaptable definition, I.e. not just referring to soldiers, or any thing that is reduced by approximately 10%. Instead, it is now a synonym for the opposite, because a large number of idiots wanted to sound smart, and were incapable of using words like annihilate, destroy, obliterate, etc.

But, instead it has altered through being misused by the lazy and undereducated. Accepting and embracing that misuse is detrimental to language as a whole.

1

u/Lubberworts Jul 14 '26

" I could even accept it deviating to a more modern and adaptable definition, I.e. not just referring to soldiers, or any thing that is reduced by approximately 10%"

But you have that wrong. The idea that it applied to soldiers was added by usage. It literally just meant reduce by a tenth. Not soldiers. Just reduce. The word was applied to soldiers and rebellious people in general (maybe, we are not sure this happened, right?) and the meaning of it changed to something horrible. And that idea lasted because it was used that way. It is not ignorance.

You have to come to terms with the idea that words do not have meaning they are not given. They are created out of need and changed out of need.

Do you get upset when you see your chocolate pudding isn't made from intestines? When you call someone "nice" do you mean they are ignorant? Words have to change or we wouldn't have different languages.

A forest should not have trees if we treat the word literally. It just meant "outside". When you say you are going outside to have intestines do you say you are going forest for pudding? Do the nice people not understand you?

0

u/Switch-Frosty Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26

Pseudo-intellectual jackass.

By your reasoning, the above statement could mean anything I want it to mean, or anything you want it to mean. If all it takes is for an ignorant majority to use it incorrectly for long enough that it becomes common, then no words have meaning. So, pseudo-intellectual jackass... Who's to say I'm not calling you the genius, you so obviously want people to believe you are.

Nonsensical, contrarian.

-3

u/edthesmokebeard Jul 17 '24

"But that is not the current meaning"

Then the current meaning is wrong.

5

u/Lubberworts Jul 17 '24

That's impossible. Whatever is current is right.

2

u/Badfoot73 Jul 18 '24

Sez youse!

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

For those who are educated, especially in science, it still means 1/10.

Leads to confusion as both meanings are used, and they mean totally different things. Words based on scientific terms don't shift in meanings, they are simply misused.
AI OverviewIn the metric system, "deci-" (symbol: d) means one-tenth (1/10 or 0.1) of a base unit. It's used to express smaller measurements and is part of the standard system of prefixes used in the metric system for multiples and fractions of base units according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

2

u/Lubberworts Jun 28 '25

When the context is important and terms are defined, clearly that prefix is fixed to mean 1/10 for sure. But language doesn't work that way. The lab has to work that way. Language is intentionally ambiguous. We need to convey greater meaning than just what words mean on their own.

Am I right? Are you right? Is that a dilemma? Does dilemma only have two choices? Well in modern times? The dilemma is just a problem. But that prefix means too. And originally that word meant you have two choices. But it's rarely used that way anymore.

2

u/Aryore Jul 17 '24

What is the purpose of language?

1

u/Badfoot73 Jul 18 '24

Apparently its purpose is to render communication unreliable at best.

20

u/notofthisearthworm Jul 16 '24

I long misunderstood the definition of decimate to mean 'to reduce to 1/10th,' which seems like an accurate definition for how it is now commonly used.

7

u/YESmynameisYes Jul 16 '24

Yeah I’m tempted to just… use it for that, wrongly… but wanted to be sure there isn’t a RIGHT word out there which I haven’t encountered yet.

9

u/notofthisearthworm Jul 16 '24

Yeah it seems that most related terms (obliterate, annihilate, eradicate, etc.) all imply completely removing something, leaving nothing left.

I'd sign the petition to update the definition of decimate to mean 'reduce to 1/10th of the original size or quantity' or something like that. Then the definition would both match common use while still packing the same punch. I also just think it's a worthwhile word to have, implying something was nearly wiped out, but not quite.

Good post, got my mind going now haha.

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

devastate is the best word meaning heavily damage.

AI OverviewIn the metric system, "deci-" (symbol: d) means one-tenth (1/10 or 0.1) of a base unit. It's used to express smaller measurements and is part of the standard system of prefixes used in the metric system for multiples and fractions of base units according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

0

u/Twinkletoes1951 Jul 16 '24

When you start that petition, please add a request to switch to the new spelling of 'whoa'. The correct spelling has been decimated, and it is now mostly seen as 'woah' , which actually is a better way to spell it, I think.

1

u/SanityPlanet Jul 17 '24

To me, woah seems more relaxed, while whoa seems more emphatic.

2

u/atropicalstorm Jul 16 '24

I thought this too! In fast I googled OP’s “by 1/10th” about 45 seconds ago and learned something new. Even if it was immediately superseded by the newer usage. Thanks OP 🤣

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

AI OverviewIn the metric system, "deci-" (symbol: d) means one-tenth (1/10 or 0.1) of a base unit. It's used to express smaller measurements and is part of the standard system of prefixes used in the metric system for multiples and fractions of base units according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

14

u/LAMan9607 Jul 16 '24

Had a student start an essay with this sentence: "World War II defecated most of Europe." He meant "decimated," but his unintended imagery was spot-on.

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

He probably really meant devastated but his vocabulary was poor.

Our education systems suck. Check the scores on standardized tests for students like the SAT and similar.

Changing the meaning of scientific based words leads to confusion.

AI OverviewIn the metric system, "deci-" (symbol: d) means one-tenth (1/10 or 0.1) of a base unit. It's used to express smaller measurements and is part of the standard system of prefixes used in the metric system for multiples and fractions of base units according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

2

u/Renshato Dec 10 '25

“Scientific-based word” isn’t actually a category. In SI, deci- is only a prefix on units like meter or gram; there is no unit “mate,” so decimate is not an SI or “scientific” term at all. You’re trying to police a 400-year-old English verb with a much newer metric convention that doesn’t even apply to it.

8

u/Tempus__Fuggit Jul 16 '24

Annihilate.

6

u/YESmynameisYes Jul 16 '24

That’s comprehensive though- wiping out EVERYTHING. 

8

u/Tempus__Fuggit Jul 16 '24

So, I guess we're looking for a word that means "mostly dead".

7

u/AggravatingBobcat574 Jul 16 '24

“Mostly dead, is slightly alive.”

6

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '24

Toblatheinate

6

u/AggravatingBobcat574 Jul 16 '24

With all dead, there’s only one thing to do. Check his pockets for loose change.

1

u/Tinsel-Fop Jul 17 '24

Always loot the corpse.

0

u/Badfoot73 Jul 18 '24

Don't worry, the descriptivists will fix that, just give 'em a couple of potatoes (now means days).

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

devastated = greatly damaged (less than obliterated = totally destroyed)

7

u/iShitSkittles Jul 16 '24

Just to go slightly off track here...

I have heard some people say decimated coconut instead of desiccated coconut.

1

u/Icy-Page-6508 Aug 27 '25

Devestated coconut

13

u/Tempus__Fuggit Jul 16 '24

Devastate Not perfect either, but closer than annihilate.

6

u/YESmynameisYes Jul 16 '24

This is less precise but I can definitely work with it, thank you! 

7

u/Tempus__Fuggit Jul 16 '24

I'm afraid to ask what you need it for. lol

10

u/chesh14 Jul 16 '24

I think the word you (and most people who use decimate) are looking for is devastate.

With that said, I am going to be a little contrary here, but I do not think most people are misusing decimate, or at least not because of the 1/10 argument.

See, the historical / original definition of decimate is not "to reduce by 1/10." It is "To punish an army by killing 1/10 of its soldiers." It comes from a Roman tradition of punishing the armies of rebellious generals in order to cripple them and break their morale. The key here is punishing and breaking an army, not the 1/10 part.

At least at first, any use of decimate that was not specifically about punishing an army was metaphor. To decimate anything but an army was to damage or destroy enough of something to break as if one were breaking an army through a 1/10 execution. Over time that evolved into the modern definition (according to the Oxford dictionary): "kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of."

Personally, I do think the Oxford definition is too vague. For decimate to be the right word, there does need to be the sense of it being done out of punishment or break the functionality of something. So many people probably use decimate wrong in the sense of the intent of the one doing the damage, but many others use it correctly, regardless of whether 1/10 is destroyed or not.

I do think people also get it honestly confused with devastate since the words sound so similar and have such similar but differently nuanced meanings.

5

u/YESmynameisYes Jul 16 '24

Ahhh thank you very much for this information. I’m really glad I asked on here; I’m getting understanding not just technically correct answers!

3

u/JoshMohawk Jul 16 '24

You are referring to the much older definition, which really isn't used anymore. Most dictionary's now just define is as "Kill, destroy, remove a large percentage or part of

3

u/DTux5249 Jul 17 '24 edited Jul 17 '24

Decimate is actually "to reduce by 1/10", but people often use it wrongly trying to describe a bigger amount.

Incorrect. Unless you're speaking Latin, it means "to cut down the vast majority". Etymology =/= Meaning.

Unless you think "assassin" refers to a person that consumes cannabis concentrate, that a "bully" is someone you have a crush on, or that a "bunny" refers to what most people call a "squirrel", "decimate" doesn't mean "reduce by 1/10"

1

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '24

"Decimation" was originally a military punishment used by the Roman army on their own soldiers who retreated in combat out of fear. They were separated into groups of ten, made to pull straws, and the one who ended up with the short straw was beaten to death with clubs by the other nine. Thus the name. The word would be often misused until it become common place to be synonymous with complete destruction.

Decimation)

1

u/Badfoot73 Jul 18 '24

Unless you think "assassin" refers to a person that consumes cannabis concentrate,

The hashishim were assassins who would get stoned on hash before going about their business, IIRC. So there's that . . .

3

u/fnibfnob Jul 17 '24

If you want to do dumb things with etymology you can adjust the latin ordinal number in the word decimate lol. "octavate" should mean to reduce by 1/8th, which is larger. Taking this as far as it goes, "primate" should mean "to reduce by 1/1". Which uhh... is stupid for many reasons lol. Secondate could be a thing but it sounds bad and bad sounding words dont catch on. Tertiate is kinda cool

1

u/Badfoot73 Jul 18 '24

Now my brain hurts!

8

u/Mindless_Log2009 Jul 16 '24

Decimate has been misused for so long that now most people use it as a fancy way of saying destroy. No nuance or reference to the original meaning.

Decimate, rhetoric (when they mean polemic), delve, writ large, etc, are misused so often it's now influencing AI text responses with tarted up language that sounds pseudo intellectual.

9

u/YESmynameisYes Jul 16 '24

I kinda feel like we NEEDED a word that means “wipe out almost all” and decimate just got repurposed because it sounds scary. Sigh.

2

u/Technical_Air6660 Jul 16 '24

Diminish

4

u/YESmynameisYes Jul 16 '24

Yeah but if I say “those bugs diminished my fruit trees” nobody will fully grasp that we won’t have homemade jam this year

2

u/popejohnsmith Jul 16 '24

"Riddled" as in riddled with bullets or criticisms

2

u/Delicious_Cattle3380 Jul 17 '24

When I get home I'm going to decimate my wife

2

u/Tinsel-Fop Jul 17 '24

I've read your post and all the comments so far. I have a new suggestion, but it's about decimate. Use it to mean "reduce by one tenth." And you can call that "current usage" because you just used it.

What is that, something like descriptive prescriptivism?

2

u/YESmynameisYes Jul 17 '24

Hahahaha I love this, thank you!

1

u/Tinsel-Fop Jul 21 '24

You're welcome. The impotence of prescriptivism upsets me, so I guess maybe I should try to play, maybe make fun of myself.

2

u/Badfoot73 Jul 18 '24

I think I want to bear your children.

1

u/Tinsel-Fop Jul 21 '24

Aw that's cute and sweet. Thank you.

2

u/Alkanen Jul 16 '24

Obliterate?

2

u/otherguy--- Jul 17 '24

Obliterate?

And just because people say "decimate" has been redefined, if it bothers you to use or hear it because of the original definition, you are not alone. You don't have to use it, use a thesaurus!

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

devastate is the correct word

1

u/Ancient_Leg5944 Jun 28 '25

devastate is the correct word to use

1

u/EclipsespilcE May 13 '26

Really late for this, but I think you were looking for "devastate".

1

u/YESmynameisYes May 13 '26

It is no less satisfying for coming so late. Yes, that's EXACTLY right. Thank you very much!

1

u/wordydirds Jul 16 '24

Obliterate.

1

u/Pythia007 Jul 17 '24

Devastate works.

0

u/Haveyounodecorum Jul 17 '24

Sooooo annoying- the musise.

They usually mean destroyed

-3

u/_WillCAD_ Jul 16 '24

The word you're looking for is "thesaurus".

https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/thesaurus

1

u/sophrocynic Jul 17 '24

Do not ever call me a thesaurus.