Here's the dictionary definition of decimate. The primary definition is "destroy a large number of". This isn't recent - I looked it up in the full OED and it's

Here's the dictionary definition of decimate. The primary definition is "destroy a large number of". This isn't recent - I looked it up in the full OED and it's been around for centuries. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/decimate http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/decimat...