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Exterminator: meaning, definitions and examples

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exterminator

[ ɪkˈstɜːrmɪˌneɪtər ]

Noun

^{Context #1 | Noun}

pest control

A person whose job is to exterminate pests, such as insects or rodents, from a particular area.

Synonyms

pest controller, pest exterminator.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
exterminator	Similar to 'exterminator', this can be used interchangeably, though it may sometimes appear redundant. The family hired an exterminator to address the bed bug problem. An exterminator can handle this serious insect issue.
pest controller	More neutral and often used in a broader sense. It implies prevention and management, rather than just elimination. The pest controller set up traps to manage the rodent population. For routine checks, it's better to have a pest controller on a regular schedule.
pest exterminator	Combines the specificity of 'pest' with the thorough action of 'exterminator', highlighting the focus on pests, but might sound overly formal or technical in casual conversation. Hiring a pest exterminator was essential to get rid of the cockroaches. They specialize as pest exterminators for residential areas.

Word

Description / Examples

exterminator

Similar to 'exterminator', this can be used interchangeably, though it may sometimes appear redundant.

The family hired an exterminator to address the bed bug problem.
An exterminator can handle this serious insect issue.

pest controller

More neutral and often used in a broader sense. It implies prevention and management, rather than just elimination.

The pest controller set up traps to manage the rodent population.
For routine checks, it's better to have a pest controller on a regular schedule.

pest exterminator

Combines the specificity of 'pest' with the thorough action of 'exterminator', highlighting the focus on pests, but might sound overly formal or technical in casual conversation.

Hiring a pest exterminator was essential to get rid of the cockroaches.
They specialize as pest exterminators for residential areas.

Examples of usage

The exterminator came to our house to get rid of the mice.
The exterminator sprayed the entire building to eliminate the cockroach infestation.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

science fiction

In science fiction, an exterminator is a futuristic weapon or device used to eliminate enemies or threats.

Examples of usage

The protagonist used an advanced exterminator to defeat the alien invaders.
The soldiers carried powerful exterminators to protect themselves from the robotic drones.

Translations

Translations of the word "exterminator" in other languages:

🇵🇹 exterminador

🇮🇳 नाशक

🇩🇪 Vernichter

🇮🇩 pembasmi

🇺🇦 знищувач

🇵🇱 eksterminator

🇯🇵 駆除業者

🇫🇷 exterminateur

🇪🇸 exterminador

🇹🇷 haşere ilaçlama

🇰🇷 박멸자

🇸🇦 مبيد

🇨🇿 exterminátor

🇸🇰 likvidátor

🇨🇳 灭虫人

🇸🇮 iztrebljevalec

🇮🇸 útrýmandi

🇰🇿 жоюшы

🇬🇪 გამანადგურებელი

🇦🇿 məhvedici

🇲🇽 exterminador

Etymology

The term 'exterminator' originated from the Latin word 'exterminare,' which means 'to drive out' or 'to destroy completely.' It has been used in English since the mid-16th century to refer to someone who eliminates pests or enemies. Over time, the term has also been adopted in science fiction to describe advanced weaponry for combating threats.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #36,287, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.

...
36284 sensationally
36285 tunnelled
36286 stymie
36287 exterminator
36288 incinerating
36289 scrounge
36290 freelancer
...