Decimation

[,desɪ'meɪʃən] or [,dɛsə'meʃən]

(noun.) destroying or killing a large part of the population (literally every tenth person as chosen by lot).

Typist: Ruben--From WordNet

(n.) A tithing.

(n.) A selection of every tenth person by lot, as for punishment.

(n.) The destruction of any large proportion, as of people by pestilence or war.

Typed by Barnaby