It’s so easy to get worked up over this word. It actually comes from the latin meaning to killed one in every ten soldiers in an army.

It has come to mean – to wipe out. So you will hear, “Our postal service has been completely decimated.” Purists will then say, “Oh, you mean it’s been reduced by 10%?” But that’s not the way most people understand the word. In theory, its current meaning should be that something remains after decimation, but most people think of it as total wipe out now.

I suppose etiological pedantry could do with a bit of decimation. Etiology? Wait till tomorrow.

Learn a new word every day.
Repeat it and remind yourself what it means at least three times in a day.
Try to use the word in conversation or writing today.
Get a dictionary and look words up.