Meanings
noundeletion (countable and uncountable, plural deletions)
plural deletions
- countableuncountableThe act of deleting.First known use c. 1600
The file contained errors that required deletion.
- countableuncountablebiologyA mutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome.
A genetic deletion caused the disorder.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounany process whereby sounds or words are left out of spoken words or phrases
Similar
Broader
linguistic process
nounthe omission that is made when an editorial change shortens a written passage
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*de
- Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
- Proto-Italic*dē
- Latindē
- Latindē-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂leyH-
- Proto-Italic*linō
- Latinlinō
- Latindēlinō
- Latindēlēvībf.?
- Latindē-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₃elh₁-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₃olh₁-éye-ti
- Proto-Italic*oleō
- Latin*oleō
- Latindēleō
- Latindēlētiōnem
- Englishdeletion
From Latin dēlētiōnem (“destruction, effacement”), from the past-participle stem of dēlēre (“to blot out, destroy, efface”). Equivalent to delete + -ion.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans skrapping
- skrappingthe act of deleting
Chinese Mandarin 刪除 /删除, 刪除 /删除
- 刪除 /删除 (shānchú)an item that has been or will be deleted
- 刪除 /删除 (shānchú)the act of deleting
- 刪除 /删除 (shānchú)mutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
Czech smazání, vymazání
- smazáníthe act of deleting
- vymazáníthe act of deleting
Dutch verwijdering
- verwijderingthe act of deleting
Esperanto forigo, genforigo
- forigothe act of deleting
- genforigomutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
Finnish poisto, poistaminen
- poistoan item that has been or will be deleted
- poistaminenthe act of deleting
- poistothe act of deleting
- poistumamutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
French suppression, délétion
- suppressionthe act of deleting
- délétionmutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
- cassure chromosomiquemutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
German Löschung, Deletion
- Löschungthe act of deleting
- Deletionmutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
Greek διαγραφή
- διαγραφή (diagrafí)the act of deleting
Hungarian deléció
- deléciómutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
Icelandic eyðing
- eyðingthe act of deleting
Indonesian penghapusan, delesi
- penghapusanthe act of deleting
- delesimutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
- penghapusanmutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
Italian delezione
- delezionemutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
Japanese 削除, 欠失
- 削除 (sakujo)the act of deleting
- 欠失 (kesshitsu)mutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
Korean 삭제
- 삭제 (sakje)the act of deleting
Norwegian sletting, stryking
- sletting, strykingthe act of deleting
Polish skasowanie, usunięcie
- skasowaniethe act of deleting
- usunięciethe act of deleting
Portuguese exclusão, deleção
- exclusãothe act of deleting
- deleçãothe act of deleting
- deletamentothe act of deleting
- deleçãomutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
Russian удале́ние, стира́ние
- удале́ние (udalénije)the act of deleting
- стира́ние (stiránije)the act of deleting
- деле́ция (delécija)mutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
Spanish supresión, borrado
- supresiónthe act of deleting
- borradothe act of deleting
- deleciónthe act of deleting
- elisiónthe act of deleting
- borradurathe act of deleting
- eliminaciónthe act of deleting
- deleciónmutation in which a gene, or other section of DNA, is removed from a chromosome
Swedish borttagning, radering
- borttagningthe act of deleting
- raderingthe act of deleting
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with deletion
completionsecretionvenetianexcretionaccretionGrecianPhoenicianPeloponnesianundeletionconcretionbicompletionhyperdepletionLutetianoligarchic accretionRhaetian
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
deletion. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deletion
MLA
“deletion.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deletion. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “deletion,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deletion.
Source: deletion on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.