Usage: Decimated

Decimated

“Personally, I think some early-years, respected television personality got decimated and devastated confused at some point, and no one wanted to point it out to him, so everyone started using them interchangeably. But dammit, words mean what they mean, even if everyone thinks they ought to mean something else.” – Jim Butcher

The word decimated goes back to Roman times when the army would kill off every tenth soldier to improve morale. Sharing the same root as decimal, the word literally means to reduce by a tenth. But when English took over the word, it was used to mean demolished, destroyed, or devastated.

Recommendation
I would hesitate using the word in formal writing to mean mostly destroyed. Enough people still hold to the literal meaning, so be cautious. Feel free to use it if it comes naturally to you.

Book Lovers’ Memes (Set 7)

Usage: Enormity Vs. Enormousness

Enormity Vs. Enormousness

Who knew this was an issue? I don’t think it is so much anymore, though.

Originally, officially, enormity refers to figurative bigness and implies a moral defect. You can talk about the enormity of a crime or a sin, for instance.

Using enormity to mean literal bigness — the enormity of a building or explosion — is frowned upon. You’re supposed to use enormousness instead. However, enormousness was never a popular word, and the condemnation of enormity as meaning large appears to be arbitrary.

Bottom line — use it however you want. I won’t correct it.