/ ɪkˈstɜːmɪneɪt; NAmE -ˈstɜːrm-/ verb
[ vn ] to kill all the members of a group of people or animals
SYN wipe out
► ex·ter·min·ation / ɪkˌstɜːmɪˈneɪʃn; NAmE -ˌstɜːrm-/ noun [ U ]
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense drive out ): from Latin exterminat- driven out, from the verb exterminare , from ex- out + terminus boundary. The sense destroy (mid 16th cent.) comes from the Latin of the Vulgate.