Eradicate
/ɪˈrædɪkeɪt/
Definitions
To destroy completely; put an end to.
/ɪˈrædɪkeɪt/
To completely destroy or remove something.
The disease was eradicated through widespread vaccination.
💡 Simply: Think of it like getting rid of something for good, like when you finally clean out your messy room and throw everything away. Or imagine you are trying to get rid of weeds. Eradicate means getting rid of it all, so it can't come back!
👶 For kids: To get rid of something completely, like wiping the crumbs off the table so there are none left.
More Examples
The company decided to eradicate all traces of the harmful chemical from its products.
The aim is to eradicate poverty in the region.
How It's Used
"The goal of the public health campaign was to eradicate the disease."
"The government vowed to eradicate corruption within the bureaucracy."
From Latin *ēradicātus*, past participle of *ēradicāre* 'to uproot', from *ē-* (out) + *radix* (root).
Historically, the term was used in agriculture for the removal of unwanted plants.
Memory tip
Imagine you are pulling out the *radix* (root) of a plant - completely removing it.
Word Origin
"root"