extirpate

verb

ex·​tir·​pate ˈek-stər-ˌpāt 

extirpated; extirpating

transitive verb

1

a

: to destroy completely : wipe out

b

: to pull up by the root

2

: to cut out by surgery

extirpation

ˌek-stər-ˈpā-shən 

noun

extirpator

ˈek-stər-ˌpā-tər 

noun

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Dig Out the History of Extirpate

You don’t have to dig too deep into the history of extirpate to discover that its roots are in, well, roots (and stumps). Extirpate grew out of a combining of the Latin prefix ex-, meaning “out,” and the Latin noun stirps, “trunk” or “root.” Among the earliest definitions of extirpate in English were “to uproot” and “to clear of stumps,” as well as the broader meaning of “to destroy completely” or “wipe out.” While today we often encounter extirpate in relation to plant and animal species that have been regrettably removed from a specific region or in total, intangibles such as evil or prejudice, for example, may also be extirpated. We hope this helps but if you find yourself stumped the next time you encounter extirpate, just remember we’re rooting for you.

Synonyms

• abolish
• annihilate
• black out
• blot out
• cancel
• clean (up)
• efface
• eradicate
• erase
• expunge
• exterminate
• liquidate
• obliterate
• root (out)
• rub out
• snuff (out)
• stamp (out)
• sweep (away)
• wipe out

Choose the Right Synonym for extirpate

exterminate, extirpate, eradicate, uproot mean to effect the destruction or abolition of something.

exterminate implies complete and immediate extinction by killing off all individuals.

exterminate cockroaches

extirpate implies extinction of a race, family, species, or sometimes an idea or doctrine by destruction or removal of its means of propagation.

many species have been extirpated from the area

eradicate implies the driving out or elimination of something that has established itself.

a campaign to eradicate illiteracy

uproot implies a forcible or violent removal and stresses displacement or dislodgment rather than immediate destruction.

the war uprooted thousands

Examples of extirpate in a Sentence

the triumph of modern medicine in extirpating certain diseases

Recent Examples on the Web

The first wolf to be spotted in California since the apex predators were extirpated in the 1920s arrived 13 years ago. —Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2024

Leaders who attempt to take a moderate stance run the risk of being publicly lynched by those who insist that Chavismo is an evil that must be extirpated. —Ivan Briscoe, Foreign Affairs, 2 July 2019

The species flourished after its chief predator, the grizzly, was extirpated there, in the early twentieth century. —Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024

Before then, gray wolves had been extirpated from the state since the 1920s. —Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin exstirpatus, past participle of exstirpare, from ex- + stirp-, stirps trunk, root

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

extirpate

verb

ex·​tir·​pate ˈek-stər-ˌpāt 

extirpated; extirpating

1

: to pull up by the roots

2

: to destroy completely

extirpation

ˌek-(ˌ)stər-ˈpā-shən 

noun