noun
Uncommon
destroyer
duh-STROY
Destroyer (noun) means someone or something that destroys. Example: “War is history's greatest destroyer of cities.”
noun
1
Someone or something that destroys.
"These temple destroyers, devotees of ravaging commercialism, seem to have a perfect contempt for Nature, and, instead of lifting their eyes to the God of the mountains, lift them to the Almighty Dollar."
— John Muir, Hetch Hetchy Valley (1908)
"But it is as a destroyer of grasshoppers that the dickcissel excels."
— Sylvester D. Judd, The Relation of Sparrows to Agriculture (1901)
"War is history's greatest destroyer of cities."
2
A small, fast, heavily armed warship, traditionally smaller than a cruiser but larger than a frigate.
"The naval fleet included three destroyers and a carrier."
How to use destroyer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither something that destroys, or (most commonly today) a class of naval warship.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
naval destroyer
guided-missile destroyer
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Word forms
- Plural
- destroyers
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
War is history's greatest _____ of cities.
Etymology
Originally short for "torpedo-boat destroyer," a term coined in the late 1800s for ships built to hunt down torpedo boats.
Class of 1800
destroyer joined the language around 1800.
See the full Class of 1800 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for destroyer
See all rhymes for destroyer →Frequently asked questions
What does “destroyer” mean?
The word “destroyer” means someone or something that destroys. In plain terms, either something that destroys, or (most commonly today) a class of naval warship.
How do you pronounce “destroyer”?
“Destroyer” is pronounced duh-STROY (/dəˈstɹɔɪ.ɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “destroyer” in a sentence?
Here is “destroyer” used in a sentence: “War is history's greatest destroyer of cities.”
What part of speech is “destroyer”?
“Destroyer” is a noun.
Where does the word “destroyer” come from?
The word “destroyer” dates back to around 1800. Originally short for "torpedo-boat destroyer," a term coined in the late 1800s for ships built to hunt down torpedo boats.
Is “destroyer” a common word?
“Destroyer” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “destroyer” have?
“Destroyer” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: someone or something that destroys.
