exterminate

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exterminate

  • /ɛkˈstəː.mɪ.neɪt/ UK
  • /ɪkˈstəː.mɪ.neɪt/ UK
  • /ɪkˈstɝ.mɪ.neɪt/ US
  • /ɛkˈstɝ.mɪ.neɪt/ US

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Latin exterminātus, perfect passive participle of exterminō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ex- (“thoroughly”) + terminō (“to finish, close, end”), from terminus (“limit, end”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix).

verb exterminates · exterminating · exterminated

  1. transitive To kill or otherwise permanently eliminate all of (a population, often of pests or undesirables), usually intentionally. We'll use poison to exterminate the rats.

    Similar: annihilate, eradicate, extermine, uproot

  2. figuratively, transitive To bring a definite end to; to finish completely. The public school failed to exterminate truancy.

    Similar: stamp out

Translations

Every language

verb to kill all of a population

Españolexterminar
中文滅絕 /灭绝 mièjué
Portuguêsexterminar, erradicar
Françaisexterminer
Deutschausrotten
Italianosterminare
Ελληνικάεξολοθρεύω exolothrévo, εξοντώνω exontóno
Românăexterminare
Русскийистребля́ть istrebljátʹ, истреби́ть istrebítʹ
עבריתחיסל

verb to bring a definite end to, finish completely

Españoldespalillar, exterminar
Portuguêsexterminar, aniquilar
Ελληνικάεπιτυγχάνω epityncháno
Русскийуничтожа́ть uničtožátʹ, уничто́жить uničtóžitʹ

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Cite this
MLA

"exterminate." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/exterminate. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

exterminate. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/exterminate

Chicago

"exterminate." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/exterminate.

BibTeX
@misc{exterminate_2026,
  title = {exterminate},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/exterminate},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}