Definition of ERADICATING (original) (raw)
1
: to do away with as completely as if by pulling up by the roots
programs to eradicate illiteracy
2
: to pull up by the roots
Did you know?
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
Choose the Right Synonym for eradicate
extirpate implies extinction of a race, family, species, or sometimes an idea or doctrine by destruction or removal of its means of propagation.
many species have been extirpated from the area
eradicate implies the driving out or elimination of something that has established itself.
a campaign to eradicate illiteracy
uproot implies a forcible or violent removal and stresses displacement or dislodgment rather than immediate destruction.
the war uprooted thousands
Examples of eradicate in a Sentence
The disease has now been completely eradicated. His ambition is to eradicate poverty in his community.
Recent Examples on the Web But tariffs − which, along with tax cuts and deporting undocumented immigrants, are among Trump's top priorities − are at odds with Trump's promise to eradicate inflation. —Ben Adler, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2024 Still, staying on course to eradicate such harmful behaviors and actions is important and necessary. —Simone E. Morris, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024 Mobbing provides a short-term solution to eradicating a potential threat. —Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 12 Sep. 2024 Coping With the Side Effects of Kidney-Cancer Treatment Radiation by itself can eliminate tumors, too For patients who aren’t good candidates for surgery because of underlying health issues, there’s another option that will eradicate the main tumor and some metastases. —Linda Carroll, TIME, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for eradicate
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eradicate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Latin eradicatus, past participle of eradicare, from e- + radic-, radix root — more at root
First Known Use
1532, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of eradicate was in 1532
Dictionary Entries Near eradicate
Cite this Entry
“Eradicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eradicate. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
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Last Updated: 21 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences
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