— extirpation , n. — extirpative , adj. — extirpator , n.
/ek"steuhr payt', ik sterr"payt/ , v.t., extirpated, extirpating .
1. to remove or destroy totally; do away with; exterminate.
2. to pull up by or as if by the roots; root up: to extirpate an unwanted hair.
[ 1530-40; ex ( s ) tirpatus plucked up by the stem (ptp. of ex ( s ) tirpare ), equiv. to ex- EX- 1 + stirp- (s. of stirps ) stem + -atus -ATE 1 ]