eliminate
UK[ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt]US[ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt]
v
To completely remove or get rid of something.
v
To defeat a team or player so that they no longer take part in a competition.
v
To kill someone, especially an enemy or opponent.
Morpheme Breakdown
e
limin
ate
e
out
limin
threshold
ate
verb suffix
Etymology
The word 'eliminate' originates from the Latin verb 'eliminare', which meant "to turn out of doors, to banish". This verb was formed from the prefix 'e-' (meaning "out") and 'limen' (meaning "threshold"). The literal sense was thus "to put something out past the threshold of a house or boundary". This concrete image of expulsion evolved in English during the 16th century to take on the more abstract meaning of removing something completely from consideration, a system, or a competition. The logical progression from physical banishment to systematic removal or mathematical exclusion is a clear example of semantic broadening.
Analysis
Structure: e (out) + limin (threshold) + ate (verb suffix)
e: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "out of, from, away".
limin: Latin origin, from 'limen' meaning "threshold".
ate: Latin origin, a verb-forming suffix meaning "to make, to act".
Examples
The new policy aims to eliminate unnecessary paperwork.
Our team was eliminated in the semi-finals.
The pesticide is designed to eliminate the insects without harming the plants.