liquidate
UK[ˈlɪk.wɪ.deɪt]US[ˈlɪk.wɪ.deɪt]
v
to close a business and sell everything it owns in order to pay its debts
v
to sell an asset, such as shares or property, in order to get money
v
to kill someone, especially an enemy or informant
Morpheme Breakdown
liquid
ate
liquid
ate
to make
Etymology
the word "liquidate" originates from the medieval latin verb liquidare, meaning "to make clear" or "to melt," which itself derives from the latin adjective liquidus (fluid, clear). the semantic journey connects the physical property of a liquid—being clear and flowing—to the financial concept of making assets clear or fluid, i.e., converting them into cash. this evolved into the modern business and legal sense of settling debts by converting assets into money. the more violent meaning, "to kill," emerged in early 20th-century political slang, metaphorically extending the idea of "clearing away" or "disposing of" a person.
Analysis
Structure: liquid + ate
- liquid: from latin liquidus (fluid, flowing). functions as the base root conveying the core concept of fluidity or cash.
- ate: from latin -atus (verb-forming suffix). functions as a suffix that forms verbs meaning "to make" or "to act upon".
Examples
the company was forced to liquidate its assets to pay off the creditors.
he decided to liquidate his stock holdings to fund his new venture.
the dictator ordered his agents to liquidate all political opponents.