depopulate Meaning, Definition & Usage

De*pop"u*late transitive verb

Etymology

L. depopulatus, p. p. of depopulari to ravage; de- + populari to ravage, fr. populus people: cf. OF. depopuler, F. dépeupler. See People.

Wordforms

imperfect & past participle Depopulated ; present participle & verbal noun Depopulating

Definitions

1. To deprive of inhabitants, whether by death or by expulsion; to reduce greatly the populousness of; to dispeople; to unpeople.

   Where is this viper, That would depopulate the city? Shak.

   ✍ It is not synonymous with laying waste or destroying, being limited to the loss of inhabitants; as, an army or a famine may depopulate a country. It rarely expresses an entire loss of inhabitants, but often a great diminution of their numbers; as, the deluge depopulated the earth.

De*pop"u*late intransitive verb

Definitions

1. To become dispeopled. R.

   Whether the country be depopulating or not. Goldsmith.