In article ,
"Jughugs" wrote:

"Smitty" wrote in message
news
Uh, actually, the usage is incorrect, also. The word decimate literally
means to kill one tenth of the total number. It isn't the ones who are
killed who are "decimated," it is the total population, who as a group
are thus reduced by that percentage.


Uh, no wonder other countries laugh at our lack of skill with language. So
growing up all through school, you were only taught to use ONE of the
possible meanings? Just a quick look at dictionary.com shows other uses
and gives an example:

"To reduce markedly in amount: a profligate heir who decimated his trust
fund. "

Yes, other countries are laughing at us for a variety of good reasons.
Far from supporting your contention, however, this example only further
illustrates the incorrect usage. It is true that the meaning of the word
has been expanded. But, note that the trust fund *as a whole* has been
decimated. The example does not say, ..."the heir decimated over half of
his trust fund." That would have been decidedly incorrect.