Which English verb means to wipe out and comes from the Latin ordinal number for 10th?

The correct answer is decimate, which translates to the act of wiping out. The term derives from the Latin word "decimus," meaning "tenth." In historical contexts, particularly during Roman times, decimation referred to a military punishment where one in every ten soldiers was executed, serving as a form of discipline and a means to instill fear. Thus, the verb has evolved to imply a significant reduction or destruction, aligning with the concept of wiping out a large part of something.

In contrast, the other options, while they relate to destruction or removal, do not share the same Latin root. Exterminate generally means to completely destroy something, especially pests or vermin, and has different etymological origins. Eliminate means to remove or get rid of something entirely but does not connect to the idea of ten or decimation in its Latin roots. Annihilate refers to the total destruction of something, emphasizing a complete obliteration, which also lacks the direct link to the ordinal number for the tenth. Therefore, decimate is specifically related to both the concept of wiping out and its etymology tied to the number ten.