depopulation

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UK/diːˌpɒ.pjəˈleɪ.ʃən/US/diˌpɑ.pjəˈleɪ.ʃən/

noun

The act of depopulating or condition of being depopulated; the destruction or expulsion of inhabitants.

OriginMiddle English depopulacion ← Latin dēpopulātiō →
UncommonScrabble 17
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Meanings

noundepopulation (countable and uncountable, plural depopulations)

plural depopulations

  1. countableuncountableThe act of depopulating or condition of being depopulated; the destruction or expulsion of inhabitants.
    1 more example

    A 2022 report published by the Scottish Borders Council states: "Hawick has been affected more by depopulation than any other Borders town, with all parts of the town experiencing population loss, and Hawick Central is currently experiencing the highest depopulation out of the 30 Intermediate Zones in Scottish Borders."

    2025 April 30, Andy Comfort, “£10 million closer to Carlisle”, in RAIL, number 1034, page 41

Origin

  1. Latindēpopulātiō
  2. Middle Englishdepopulacion
  3. Englishdepopulation

Inherited from Middle English depopulacion (also spelled depopulacyoun, depopolacion), borrowed from Latin dēpopulātiō. By surface analysis, depopulate + -ion.

More words from Middle English, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian обезлюдяване
  • обезлюдяване (obezljudjavane)act or condition of depopulating
Catalan despoblament, despoblació
  • despoblamentact or condition of depopulating
  • despoblacióact or condition of depopulating
Danish affolkning
  • affolkningact or condition of depopulating
Dutch ontvolking
  • ontvolkingact or condition of depopulating
Finnish väestökato
  • väestökatoact or condition of depopulating
French dépeuplement
  • dépeuplementact or condition of depopulating
German Entvölkerung
  • Entvölkerungact or condition of depopulating
Irish bánú, dídhaonrú
  • bánúact or condition of depopulating
  • dídhaonrúact or condition of depopulating
Polish wyludnienie, depopulacja
  • wyludnienieact or condition of depopulating
  • depopulacjaact or condition of depopulating
Russian обезлю́дение, депопуля́ция
  • обезлю́дение (obezljúdenije)act or condition of depopulating
  • депопуля́ция (depopuljácija)act or condition of depopulating
Scottish Gaelic fàsachadh
  • fàsachadhact or condition of depopulating
Swedish avfolkning
  • avfolkningact or condition of depopulating
Welsh diboblogaeth
  • diboblogaethact or condition of depopulating

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with depopulation

informationeducationlocationapplicationassociationadministrationorganizationcorporationregistrationAsianfoundationcommunicationpopulationnavigationstationaccommodationoperationpublicationvacationtransportationevaluationimplementationinstallationnation
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

depopulation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/depopulation

MLA

“depopulation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/depopulation. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “depopulation,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/depopulation.

Source: depopulation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.