eliminar

Eliminar is a Spanish verb of regular -ar conjugation that means to remove something completely, to delete, to abolish, or to rule out. The core sense is to cause the absence of a thing by removing it. It is widely used in everyday language and in technical contexts.

In general usage, eliminar can refer to removing an object, obstacle, or record; for example, eliminar un archivo, eliminar un riesgo, or eliminar a un candidato in more negative or drastic contexts. In mathematics, statistics, and logic it means to discard or cancel a hypothesis, a variable, or a term. In computing and information technologies, it commonly means to delete data or to remove an entry; in user interfaces it is often synonymous with borrar but can carry a stronger sense of permanent removal.

Conjugation: Regular -ar verb. Present: elimino, eliminas, elimina, eliminamos, elimináis, eliminan. Preterite: eliminé, eliminaste, eliminó, eliminamos, eliminasteis, eliminaron. Imperfect: eliminaba, eliminabas, eliminaba, eliminábamos, eliminabais, eliminaban. Subjunctive: elimine, elimines, elimine, eliminemos, eliminéis, eliminen. Imperative: elimina, elimine, eliminemos, eliminad, eliminen.

Etymology: from Latin eliminare, formed from ex- 'out' + limen 'threshold', transmitted to Spanish through the Romance languages; cognates include éliminer in French and eliminare in Italian and Portuguese.

Notes: In some contexts eliminar conveys a sense of eradicating or abolishing systemic issues; for digital contexts, borrar is also common, but eliminar emphasizes more formal or total removal.