1560s, from Latin eliminatus, past participle of eliminare "thrust out of doors, expel," from ex limine "off the threshold," from ex "off, out" (see ex-) + limine, ablative of limen "threshold" (see limit, n.).Used literally at first; sense of "exclude" first attested 1714; sense of "expel waste from the body" is c.1795. Related: Eliminated; eliminating; eliminative; eliminatory.