Ruination
/ˌruːɪˈneɪʃən/noun
The act or process of causing complete destruction, collapse, or downfall.
Did you know?The word descends from Latin ruere, “to fall down” or “rush,” linking physical collapse with the figurative downfall of fortunes, cities, and empires.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*rew-
“To rush, move violently, or make a loud sound”
Classical Latin
Latin
ruere
“To fall down, collapse, rush, or hasten”
Classical Latin
Latin
ruīna
“A collapse, downfall, destruction, or the ruins caused by it”
12th–13th Century
Old French
ruine
“Destruction, collapse, or physical remains of something destroyed”
14th Century
Middle English
ruine
“Destruction, decay, or downfall”
Modern English
English
ruination
“The condition or process of being completely destroyed or ruined”