demine

transitive verb

de·​mine (ˌ)dē-ˈmīn 

variants or de-mine

demined or de-mined; demining or de-mining; demines or de-mines

: to remove mines and especially unexploded land mines from (an area)

An estimated 100 million unexploded land mines stud the globe, and experts say it would take 10,000 years to demine Cambodia alone, using present methods.

—Adam Marcus, Christian Science Monitor, 6 May 1998

In Afghanistan, sergeant Murphy needs to take care to ride only in areas that have been de-mined. "I am basically riding on a paved road through a minefield," he says.

—Christine Mattheis, Bicycling, July 2008

demining noun

or de-mining

EOD [Explosive Ordnance Disposal] units also will be available again for humanitarian demining, irregular warfare, civil support for handling unexploded ordnance found in communities and working with foreign militaries.

—Michael Peck, Air Force Times, 20 May 2013

• — often used before another noun
  demining operations
  de-mining equipment

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

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