extirpate
verb
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Dig Out the History of Extirpate
You don’t have to dig too deep into the history of extirpate to discover that its roots are in, well, roots (and stumps). Extirpate grew out of a combining of the Latin prefix ex-, meaning “out,” and the Latin noun stirps, “trunk” or “root.” Among the earliest definitions of extirpate in English were “to uproot” and “to clear of stumps,” as well as the broader meaning of “to destroy completely” or “wipe out.” While today we often encounter extirpate in relation to plant and animal species that have been regrettably removed from a specific region or in total, intangibles such as evil or prejudice, for example, may also be extirpated. We hope this helps but if you find yourself stumped the next time you encounter extirpate, just remember we’re rooting for you.
Synonyms
Examples of extirpate in a Sentence
Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
Before then, gray wolves had been extirpated from the state since the 1920s.
—Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 21 Nov. 2024
Phil Beasley, Plantation The last straw was Oct. 7
Hamas must be extirpated from Gaza.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2024
The way to extirpate this bias is by realizing that the concept of death is not an all-or-nothing matter, but rather a spectrum—something that comes in degrees.
—Susana Monsó, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for extirpate 
Dictionary Entries Near extirpate
Cite this Entry
“Extirpate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extirpate. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.
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extirpate
verb
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