Ruinous
/ˈruːɪnəs/noun
Causing or likely to cause severe damage, destruction, or financial loss.
Did you know?English ruin ultimately traces to Latin ruere, meaning “to fall” or “to rush,” giving the word a vivid image of something plunging into destruction.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*rew-
“To rush, move quickly, or break loose; the reconstructed root associated with Latin ruere.”
Classical Latin
Latin
ruere
“To fall, tumble, rush, or collapse.”
Classical Latin
Latin
ruīna
“A collapse, downfall, or the remains of something fallen.”
12th Century
Old French
ruineux
“Causing ruin; destructive or wasteful.”
14th Century
Middle English
ruinous
“Destructive, causing ruin, or falling into decay.”
Modern English
English
ruinous
“Causing severe damage, destruction, or financial loss.”