eliminare

Eliminare is an Italian verb meaning to remove, to eliminate, or to get rid of something from a set, plan, or situation. It is used in everyday language as well as in specialized contexts such as computing, sports, and policy. The sense can range from physical removal of objects to more abstract acts like excluding options, erasing data, or abolishing practices.

In everyday use, eliminare can indicate removing a physical item, discarding a plan, or overcoming an obstacle. In computing, the verb is common for actions like deleting a file, erasing data, or removing a record from a database. In sports and competitions, eliminare refers to defeating an opponent and thus removing them from the tournament or progression to the next round. The expression can also appear in rhetorical or policy contexts, for example eliminare la povertà or eliminare una minaccia, often signaling comprehensive or thorough action.

Conjugation and forms: Eliminare is a regular verb of the first conjugation. Key forms in the present tense are: io elimino, tu elimini, lui/lei elimina, noi eliminiamo, voi eliminate, loro eliminano. The passato prossimo is formed with avere: ho eliminato, hai eliminato, ha eliminato, abbiamo eliminato, avete eliminato, hanno eliminato. The imperfect is eliminavo, eliminavi, eliminava, eliminavamo, eliminavate, eliminavano. The future simple is eliminerò, eliminerai, eliminerà, elimineremo, eliminerete, elimineranno. The present subjunctive is elimini, elimini, eliminiamo, eliminiate, eliminino. The participle is eliminato; the gerund is eliminando. The imperative forms are elimina, eliminiamo, eliminate.

Etymology: Eliminare derives from the Italian adoption of the French éliminer, which in turn traces back to a Latin root related to elimination, with the prefix e- (out) and the idea of removing a threshold or boundary (limen). The term has since become a common, versatile verb across many domains.