overpopulate
UK[ˌəʊvəˈpɒpjʊleɪt]US[ˌoʊvərˈpɑːpjʊleɪt]
v
to cause an area to have too many people or animals living in it
Morpheme Breakdown
over
populate
over
excessively
populate
inhabit
Etymology
the word 'overpopulate' is a modern english formation, combining the native english prefix 'over-' with the latinate verb 'populate'. the prefix 'over-', descended from proto-germanic uber, carries the enduring sense of excess or beyond a limit. the core 'populate' derives from the latin 'populus', meaning 'the people', which itself may trace back to a proto-italic root related to a military body or a crowd. the conceptual logic is direct and transparent: to 'populate' is to furnish with people, and to 'overpopulate' is to do so beyond a sustainable or desirable capacity, reflecting a concern with demographic balance.
Analysis
Structure: over (excessively) + populate (inhabit)
over (from old english 'ofer', meaning above, beyond, excessively; a prefix indicating excess). populate (from latin 'populatus', past participle of 'populare', meaning to inhabit, from 'populus' meaning people).
Examples
if left unchecked, the deer herd will quickly overpopulate the forest and deplete its resources.
many environmentalists worry that humans will overpopulate the planet.
the island's ecosystem was fragile and could not support an overpopulated species of rodents.