Dictionary

destroyer en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /dəˈstɹɔɪ.ɚ/ (General-American)

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English destroyour, destroyere; By surface analysis, destroy + -er. Designating a warship, it is ellipsis of torpedo-boat destroyer, the longer term appearing at the end of the 19th century and the shorter form early in the 20th.

Meanings

1. That which destroys something.
   • 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. 1908 January 14, John Muir, “Hetch Hetchy Valley”, in Sierra Club Bulletin:
   • But it is as a destroyer of grasshoppers that the dickcissel excels. 1901, Sylvester D. Judd, The Relation of Sparrows to Agriculture, page 91:
2. (historical) A small, fast warship with light gun armament, smaller than a cruiser, but bigger than a frigate.
3. A larger warship with guided missile armament, usually intended for air defence or anti-ship roles. Often, but not always, larger than a frigate and smaller than a cruiser.
4. (broadly) A larger warship with guided missile armament, usually intended for air defence or anti-ship roles. Often, but not always, larger than a frigate and smaller than a cruiser. ▸ A starship of comparable role.

Forms

Deriveds

destroyer leader · flag destroyer · command destroyer · self-destroyer · destroyer minesweeper · mealybug destroyer · commerce destroyer · destroyer escort · tank destroyer

Synonyms

devastator (one who destroys) · decimator (one who destroys)

Translations (130)

it distruttore (that who/which destroys) · mr विनाशिका (type of warship) · de Vernichter (that who/which destroys) · be разбура́льніца (that who/which destroys) · hu romboló (that who/which destroys) · ga millteach (that who/which destroys) · eo destrojero (type of warship) · sa दर्मन् (that who/which destroys) · de Vernichterin (that who/which destroys) · fr destructeur (that who/which destroys) · ja 破壊者 (that who/which destroys) · be эсмі́нец (type of warship) · nn øydar (that who/which destroys) · uk руйнівни́ця (that who/which destroys) · sk ničiteľka (that who/which destroys) · ms pembinasa (that who/which destroys) · be руйнава́льнік (that who/which destroys) · pl niszczycielka (that who/which destroys) · vi tàu khu trục (type of warship) · bg разруши́телка (that who/which destroys) · pl niszczyciel (that who/which destroys) · ru уничтожи́тель (that who/which destroys) · el αφανιστής (that who/which destroys) · it cacciatorpediniere (type of warship) · ms kapal pembinasa (type of warship) · ga loitiméir (that who/which destroys) · hu torpedóromboló (type of warship) · cmn 驅逐艦 /驱逐舰 (type of warship) · fr contre-torpilleur (type of warship) · mr डिस्ट्रॉयर (type of warship) · la dēlētor (that who/which destroys) · ga malartach (that who/which destroys) · hu torpedónaszád-romboló (type of warship) · be руйнава́льніца (that who/which destroys) · yue 驅逐艦 /驱逐舰 (type of warship) · bg разруши́тел (that who/which destroys) · bg еска́дрен миноно́сец (type of warship) · uk есмі́нець (type of warship) · sk ničiteľ (that who/which destroys) · hi विनाशक (that who/which destroys) · hu elpusztító (that who/which destroys) · pt destruidor (that who/which destroys) · he הורס (that who/which destroys) · de Zerstörer (that who/which destroys) · uk еска́дрений міноно́сець (type of warship) · ru истреби́тель (that who/which destroys) · it distruttrice (that who/which destroys) · es destructor (that who/which destroys) · el εξολοθρευτής (that who/which destroys) · ko 파괴자 (that who/which destroys) · grc ὀλοθρευτής (that who/which destroys) · es destructor (type of warship) · ga millteoir (that who/which destroys) · ka გამანადგურებელი (that who/which destroys) · pt contratorpedeiro (type of warship) · he מַשְׁחֶתֶת (type of warship) · mr विनाशक (that who/which destroys) · cs torpédoborec (type of warship) · ka საესკადრო ნაღმოსანი (type of warship) · vi khu trục hạm (type of warship) · grc δηλητήρ (that who/which destroys) · ru разруши́тель (that who/which destroys) · uk вини́щувач (that who/which destroys) · fr destroyer (type of warship) · be эска́драны мінано́сец (type of warship) · sk torpédoborec (type of warship) · hu rombolóhajó (type of warship) · la dēlētrix (that who/which destroys) · nan-hbl 驅逐艦 /驱逐舰 (type of warship) · ko 구축함 (type of warship) · ms perosak (that who/which destroys) · ca destructor (type of warship) · uk нищи́тель (that who/which destroys) · be знішча́льнік (that who/which destroys) · ga íditheoir (that who/which destroys) · nn øydeleggjar (that who/which destroys) · sv jagare (type of warship) · uk вини́щувачка (that who/which destroys) · ru эсми́нец (type of warship) · mk уништувачка (that who/which destroys) · ru истреби́тельница (that who/which destroys) · hu leromboló (that who/which destroys) · nl vernietiger (that who/which destroys) · fa-ira ناوشِکَن (type of warship) · pl niszczyciel (type of warship) · sv förstörare (that who/which destroys) · ga scriostóir (that who/which destroys) · th เรือพิฆาต (type of warship) · be разбура́льнік (that who/which destroys) · de Zerstörerin (that who/which destroys) · mk разурнувач (type of warship) · es destruidor (that who/which destroys) · ru разруши́тельница (that who/which destroys) · fi tuhooja (that who/which destroys) · hy ականակիր (type of warship) · hi नाशक (that who/which destroys) · ga díothóir (that who/which destroys) · sux 𒄢 (that who/which destroys) · ka გამნადგურებელი (that who/which destroys) · fi hävittäjä (type of warship) · uk нищи́телька (that who/which destroys) · de Zerstörer (type of warship) · ru эска́дренный миноно́сец (type of warship) · nb destroyer (type of warship) · el καταστροφέας (that who/which destroys) · fr destructrice (that who/which destroys) · cs ničitel (that who/which destroys) · mk уништувач (that who/which destroys) · hu pusztító (that who/which destroys) · bg унищожи́тел (that who/which destroys) · be знішча́льніца (that who/which destroys) · ga argthóir (that who/which destroys) · hu romboló (type of warship) · ar مُدَمِّر (that who/which destroys) · bg разруши́тел (type of warship) · enm destroyour (that who/which destroys) · cs ničitelka (that who/which destroys) · ru уничтожи́тельница (that who/which destroys) · bg унищожи́телка (that who/which destroys) · ca destructor (that who/which destroys) · mr नाशक (that who/which destroys) · sl rušilec (type of warship) · ka გამანადგურებელი (type of warship) · el αντιτορπιλικό (type of warship) · ja 駆逐艦 (type of warship) · nb jager (type of warship) · uk руйнівни́к (that who/which destroys) · ka დამანგრეველი (that who/which destroys) · bg есми́нец (type of warship) · id perusak (that who/which destroys)