elimination
UK[ɪˌlɪm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən]US[ɪˌlɪm.əˈneɪ.ʃən]
n
The complete removal or destruction of something.
n
The process of excluding someone or something from a competition or further consideration.
n
The act of killing someone, especially an enemy or opponent.
Morpheme Breakdown
e
limin
ation
e
out
limin
threshold
ation
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'elimination' originates from the Latin verb 'eliminare,' which literally meant "to turn out of doors, to banish." This verb itself was formed from the prefix 'e-' (out) and 'limen' (threshold). The core image is of pushing something across the boundary of a doorway, expelling it from an interior space. Over time, this concrete sense of physical expulsion broadened into the modern abstract meanings of complete removal, exclusion from a process, or systematic destruction, all retaining the fundamental concept of forcing something out from a defined set or place.
Analysis
Structure: e (out) + limin (threshold) + ation (noun suffix)
- e: A Latin prefix meaning "out of, from, away."
- limin: A Latin root from "limen," meaning "threshold, doorway, boundary."
- ation: A Latin-derived noun suffix indicating an action or process.
Examples
The elimination of toxins is a key function of the liver.
Their team faced elimination from the tournament after a surprising defeat.
The spy agency specialized in the covert elimination of high-value targets.