Extermination Meaning
/ɪˌkstɜrməˈneɪʃən/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe act of exterminating; total destruction or eradication.
nounElimination.
Sentence Examples
Gaddafi undertook a policy of cultural extermination against the Berber-speaking community of Libya.
Jews and Roma were the only two groups targeted for extermination by the Nazis.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The government ordered the complete ____ of the invasive beetle species from the forest.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ of the rats in the basement was successful after a week of professional treatment.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from Middle French extermination, itself a learned borrowing from Ecclesiastical Latin exterminātiō.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Caley locomotive types, especially such numerous things as McIntosh goods and tank engines, have defied extermination over a good many years now."
— 1941 January, C. Hamilton Ellis, “The Scottish Station”, in Railway Magazine, page 3:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The government ordered the complete ____ of the invasive beetle species from the forest.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ of the rats in the basement was successful after a week of professional treatment.