Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'extirpate'

English Word: extirpate

Key Russian Translations:

• искоренить /ɪskɐˈrʲenʲɪtʲ/ - [Formal, used in contexts involving complete eradication]
• выкорчевать /vɨkɐrʲt͡ɕɪˈvatʲ/ - [Formal, often literal, e.g., uprooting plants or abstract removal]
• уничтожить /ʊnʲɪˈt͡ɕɪʐʲɪtʲ/ - [Informal to Formal, broader destruction, but less emphasis on roots]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are not everyday vocabulary but appear in formal discussions, literature, and media on topics like social reform or environmental issues.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of abstract concepts and verb conjugations. For 'искоренить' and 'выкорчевать', it's B2; for 'уничтожить', it could be B1 if used in simpler contexts.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

искоренить: /ɪskɐˈrʲenʲɪtʲ/

выкорчевать: /vɨkɐrʲt͡ɕɪˈvatʲ/

уничтожить: /ʊnʲɪˈt͡ɕɪʐʲɪtʲ/

Note on искоренить: The stress falls on the third syllable; be mindful of the palatalized 'р' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. Variations in fast speech may soften the ending.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To root out or destroy completely (e.g., eliminating something harmful at its source)

Translation(s) & Context:

• искоренить - Used in formal, ideological, or social contexts, such as eradicating societal problems; preferred for metaphorical or deep-rooted issues.
• выкорчевать - Often literal, like removing plants, but can be metaphorical; suitable for physical or environmental destruction.
• уничтожить - A more general term for destruction; used in everyday or military contexts, but less focused on permanence.

Usage Examples:

• Правительство планирует искоренить коррупцию в стране раз и навсегда.

  The government plans to extirpate corruption in the country once and for all.

• Экологи работают над тем, чтобы выкорчевать инвазивные виды растений из заповедника.

  Ecologists are working to extirpate invasive plant species from the reserve.

• Мы должны уничтожить вредные привычки, чтобы улучшить качество жизни.

  We must extirpate harmful habits to improve the quality of life.

• В исторических текстах часто описывается, как революционеры пытались искоренить старые традиции.

  Historical texts often describe how revolutionaries tried to extirpate old traditions.

• Чтобы спасти экосистему, ученые предложили выкорчевать загрязнители из почвы.

  To save the ecosystem, scientists proposed to extirpate pollutants from the soil.

To remove or eradicate surgically or medically (e.g., in a biological context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• искоренить - Applied in medical or biological contexts for complete removal, emphasizing thoroughness.
• уничтожить - Used more broadly for destruction in health-related scenarios, but less precise.

Usage Examples:

• Врачи успешно искоренили опухоль у пациента с помощью операции.

  Doctors successfully extirpated the tumor from the patient through surgery.

• Для лечения инфекции необходимо искоренить бактерии в организме.

  To treat the infection, it is necessary to extirpate the bacteria in the body.

• Уничтожить вредоносные микроорганизмы — ключ к предотвращению эпидемий.

  Extirpating harmful microorganisms is key to preventing epidemics.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Russian verbs like these are imperfective or perfective; 'искоренить' and 'выкорчевать' are perfective, while 'уничтожить' can be used in both aspects depending on context.

Note: These verbs follow regular conjugation patterns for Russian perfective verbs. 'уничтожить' has an imperfective counterpart 'уничтожать' for ongoing actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • уничтожить (similar but broader; used for general destruction)
  • элиминировать (more formal, borrowed term; implies systematic removal)
  • избавиться от (to get rid of; less formal and more versatile)
• Antonyms:
  • установить (to establish; implies creating or building up)
  • поддерживать (to maintain; suggests preservation rather than removal)
  • внедрить (to implement; opposite in the context of introducing something)

Related Phrases:

• Искоренить зло - A phrase meaning "to extirpate evil," often used in moral or philosophical discussions to denote complete eradication of negative forces.
• Выкорчевать сорняки - Literally "to extirpate weeds," metaphorically for removing unwanted elements in a system.
• Уничтожить следы - "To extirpate traces," used in contexts like covering up evidence or eliminating remnants.

Usage Notes:

'Искоренить' is the most precise translation for 'extirpate' in formal contexts, emphasizing thorough removal at the root, much like its English counterpart. Use 'выкорчевать' for more literal or physical scenarios, such as in agriculture or environmental science. 'Уничтожить' is broader and can substitute in informal settings but may not convey the same depth. Be cautious with aspect: Russian verbs require choosing between perfective (completed action) and imperfective (ongoing). For English learners, always consider the context—e.g., social vs. medical—to select the appropriate translation. Synonyms like 'элиминировать' might sound more modern but are less common in everyday Russian.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Confusing 'искоренить' with 'уничтожить' and using the latter in contexts requiring permanence. Incorrect: "Я уничтожу коррупцию" (implies simple destruction). Correct: "Я искореню коррупцию" (emphasizes complete eradication). Explanation: 'Искоренить' better matches 'extirpate's' connotation of rooting out.
• Mistake: Incorrect conjugation, e.g., using present tense for perfective verbs. Incorrect: "Я искореняю" (wrong, as it's perfective). Correct: Use future or past forms appropriately. Explanation: Russian perfective verbs don't have a present tense, so learners must adjust based on aspect.
• Mistake: Overusing in informal speech. Explanation: These words are formal; in casual talk, simpler verbs like 'избавиться' are preferred to avoid sounding overly literary.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'искоренить' often appear in historical and literary contexts, such as in Soviet-era rhetoric about eradicating class enemies or in works by authors like Tolstoy, symbolizing the fight against deep-seated societal ills. This reflects a cultural emphasis on radical change and purification, seen in revolutions and reforms, which can help English speakers appreciate the word's weight beyond its literal meaning.

Related Concepts:

• революция (revolution)
• элиминация (elimination)
• корневое решение (root solution)