Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
delenda
Verb (Latin)
dih-LEHN-dah
Definition
Delenda is a Latin term that means ‘to be destroyed’ or ‘that must be destroyed’. It is often used in phrases and contexts implying that something should be eliminated or removed entirely.
Examples
- The phrase ‘Carthago delenda est’ famously signifies that Carthage must be destroyed.
- In modern usage, someone might say, ‘The corruption in our system? Delenda.’
Meaning
The term emphasizes the necessity of destruction or obliteration of something, often used in rhetoric to argue for the removal of a perceived threat or undesired element.
Synonyms
- annihilate
- eradicate
- obliterate
- exterminate
