The Linguistic Journey of 'Decimate'

In this episode of the Word of the Day podcast, host Peter Sokolowski explores the etymology, shifting definitions, and common controversies surrounding the word "decimate." While the podcast begins with a promotional message from Monster.com regarding career services, the core educational content focuses on the semantic history of this frequently debated term.

Defining 'Decimate'

Sokolowski defines "decimate" as a verb that carries two primary meanings in modern English. First, it can refer to the act of destroying a "large number of plants or animals or people." Second, and perhaps more commonly in figurative contexts, it describes the act of "severely damage or destroy a large part of something." To illustrate this, he references a sentence from the Fredericksburg freelance star: "The deer... got into my beans and, within a few nights, they had all but decimated my crop." This example highlights the word's application in describing significant loss or destruction within a natural or agricultural setting.

The Controversy Among Logophiles

One of the most interesting aspects of the word "decimate" is that it "often raises hackles" among a specific demographic: "logophiles." These language enthusiasts often argue that the word is "commonly misused" in contemporary speech. The root of their contention lies in the word's historical origin in ancient Rome. In its original Roman military context, to decimate meant "to select by lot, and kill every 10th man of a military unit." For purists, this specific, ritualistic act is the only historically accurate definition, and they view the broader modern usage as a "decline and fall" of the word's integrity.

Semantic Drift and Evolution

Sokolowski counters the purist perspective by explaining the natural process of linguistic evolution. He notes that "many words in English descended from Latin have changed and or expanded their meanings in their travels." Language is not static; it is a living system that adapts over time. He provides compelling examples of this phenomenon: the word "sinister" once meant "on the left side," and "delicious" has evolved to describe things that are both "tasty and delightful," moving beyond its original, narrower connotations.

Historical Context of Usage

Addressing the question of whether the Roman military definition was the original usage in English, Sokolowski acknowledges that it was, "but not by much." He points out that it took only "a few decades" for the word to shed its rigid historical tether and acquire the "broader familiar meaning" that is recognized today. This broader application—to severely damage or destroy—has been "employed steadily since the 17th century." By grounding the modern definition in several centuries of consistent usage, the podcast argues that the current meaning of "decimate" is not a mistake, but rather a successful and established evolution of the language.

In conclusion, while the etymological roots of "decimate" are undeniably tied to the brutal practices of the ancient Roman military, the word has successfully transitioned into a versatile term used to describe widespread destruction. Understanding this history helps clarify why some people still cling to the archaic definition, while simultaneously validating the widely accepted modern usage.