Decimation

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Decimation \Dec`i*ma"tion\, n. [L. decimatio: cf. F.
     d['e]cimation.]
     1. A tithing. [Obs.] --State Trials (1630).
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A selection of every tenth person by lot, as for


        punishment. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. The destruction of any large proportion, as of people by
        pestilence or war. --Milman.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  decimation
       n : destroying or killing a large part of the population
           (literally every tenth person as chosen by lot)

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  DECIMATION. The punishment of every tenth soldier by lot, was, among the 
  Romans, called decimation.