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extirpate

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Extirpate is defined as to completely remove, destroy or pull out by the roots.

(verb)

An example of extirpate is to get rid of field mice in a basement.
An example of extirpate is pulling weeds from your vegetable garden.

See extirpate in Webster's New World College Dictionary

to pull up by the roots; root out
to destroy or remove completely; exterminate; abolish

Origin: < L extirpatus, pp. of extirpare, exstirpare, to root out < ex-, out + stirps, lower part of a tree, root < IE base *ster-, stiff > stare, starve, stark

Related Forms:

extirpation noun
extirpative adjective
extirpator noun

See extirpate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb ex·tir·pat·ed, ex·tir·pat·ing, ex·tir·pates

To pull up by the roots.
To destroy totally; exterminate. See Synonyms at abolish.
To remove by surgery.

Origin:

Origin: Latin exstirpāre, exstirpāt-

Origin: : ex-, ex-

Origin: + stirps, root

Related Forms:

exˌtir·paˈtion noun

exˈtir·paˌtive adjective

exˈtir·paˌtor noun

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