verb
extirpate
Extirpate (verb) means to clear a piece of ground of roots and tree stumps.
verb
1
To clear a piece of ground of roots and tree stumps.
2
To pull a plant out completely, roots and all.
3
To destroy something totally, leaving nothing behind.
4
To wipe out a group of animals or plants from one area, even though the species still survives elsewhere.
"The cougar was extirpated across nearly all of its eastern North American range in the two centuries after European colonization."
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Etymology
The verb is first attested in 1538, the adjective in 1541; borrowed from Latin exstirpātus perfect passive participle of exstirpō (“to uproot”), from ex- (“out of”) + stirps (“the lower part of the trunk of a tree, including the roots; the stem, stalk”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)). Doublet of extirp. Common participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for extirpate
See all rhymes for extirpate →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of extirpate?
"extirpate" (verb) means to clear a piece of ground of roots and tree stumps.
What is another word for extirpate?
Other words for "extirpate" include deracinate, exterminate, uproot, eradicate.
What is the opposite of extirpate?
Opposites of "extirpate" include plant, cultivate.
What are the different meanings of extirpate?
"extirpate" has 3 main meanings: 1. To clear a piece of ground of roots and tree stumps; 2. To pull a plant out completely, roots and all; 3. To destroy something totally, leaving nothing behind.
