early 15c., "destroy utterly," literally "pull up by the roots," from Latin eradicatus, past participle of eradicare "root out, extirpate, annihilate," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + radix (genitive radicis) "root" (from PIE root *wrād- "branch, root"). Related: Eradicated; eradicating; eradicable. The native form of the same idea is in Middle English outrōten "to root (something) out, eradicate" (early 15c.).