Destructive
/dɪˈstrʌk.tɪv/noun
Causing great damage or destruction.
Did you know?Its core comes from Latin *struere*, “to pile up, build,” so “destructive” is literally the power to un-build what was made.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*strew-
“to spread, strew, or extend”
Latin
Latin
struere
“to pile up, heap together, build”
Latin
Latin
destruere
“to tear down, demolish”
14th Century
Middle English
destructif
“tending to destroy”
Modern English
English
destructive
“causing destruction or ruin”
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