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
Susana Monsó, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024
It’s believed the owl with bright yellow eyes has been extirpated from 16% of its range in parts of the coast and Central Valley.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024
Hunted heavily across Polynesia for their dazzling feathers, the lorikeets were extirpated from nearly all of their native islands by 1900, with Rimatara standing as one final bastion for the birds.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
They were largely extirpated from Colorado by 1919 (and from the rest of the West by the 1930s) and were added to the state’s endangered species list in 1973.
—Steven Hill, Field & Stream, 30 May 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near extirpate
Cite this Entry
“Extirpate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extirpate. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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extirpate
verb
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