'Decimate' means much more today than it did in ancient Rome
Today, most people know the word as a synonym for "destroy." But fewer realize its origins — or that it's come to mean something strikingly different than it once did.
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'Decimate' means much more today than it did in ancient Rome May 1, 20265:00 AM ET By Scott Neuman A depiction of a Roman decimation. William Hogarth/Wikipedia Commons hide caption toggle caption William Hogarth/Wikipedia Commons If you've been following the news lately, you might have noticed that a certain word has suddenly become a favorite of President Trump's: "decimate." He has used it a lot to describe U.S. military action against Iran. Take, for example, part of his April 1 address to the nation about Operation Epic Fury: "We've beaten and completely decimated Iran.
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