Eradication
ɪˌrædɪˈkeɪʃən
Definitions
The complete destruction of something; the act of removing or destroying something entirely.
ɪˌrædɪˈkeɪʃən
The complete destruction of something.
The eradication of smallpox was a monumental achievement in medical history.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're getting rid of weeds in your garden. Eradication is like pulling them all out, so they never grow back. It's about getting rid of something completely, like a disease or a problem.
👶 For kids: Eradication means getting rid of something completely, like when you erase a mistake on your paper so it's gone forever!
More Examples
They are working towards the complete eradication of poverty in the region.
The goal of the project is the eradication of invasive species.
How It's Used
"The eradication of polio is a major public health achievement."
"The government's policy aims at the eradication of corruption."
From Latin *ēradicātiō* ('uprooting, extirpation'), from *ēradicāre* ('to root out'), from *e-* ('out') + *radix* ('root').
The word has been used since the late 16th century, initially referring to the removal or extirpation of something.
Memory tip
Think of *radix* (root). Eradication is like pulling something up by its roots, getting rid of it completely.