The Word Decimate Initially Meant To Reduce Something By A Factor Of This Crossword Clue — 3 Letters

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TEN
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T
E
N

The word "decimate" comes from the Latin "decimare," meaning to take or destroy one-tenth. Originally, it referred to the Roman military punishment of killing one in every ten soldiers. So "decimate" initially meant to reduce something by a factor of ten (by one-tenth).

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ONEOne-tenth is the fraction removed, so 'one' could be considered, but 'ten' is the factor referenced in the etymology.

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