What does "destroyer" mean?

1. (one who ruins) a person or thing that ruins, breaks, or ends something. 2. (a warship) a fast, medium-sized warship used to protect other ships or attack enemies.

How do you use "destroyer"?

In modern naval contexts, it often refers specifically to ships equipped with guided missiles.

destroyer

US //dɪˈstɹɔɪɝ// UK //dɪstɹˈɔɪɐ// de·stroy·er

1 one who ruins (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

a person or thing that ruins, breaks, or ends something.

an agent—whether human, mechanical, or abstract—that causes the destruction or ruin of something else.

Example

The invasive beetle became the destroyer of the local forest.

Example

Historians often debate whether the emperor was a visionary reformer or simply a destroyer of ancient traditions.
- ruiner
- wrecker
- terminator
2 a warship (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Science

a fast, medium-sized warship used to protect other ships or attack enemies.

a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers.

Example

The navy sent a destroyer to patrol the waters near the coast.

Example

The guided-missile destroyer provided a sophisticated air-defence umbrella for the entire carrier strike group during the exercise.

Usage

In modern naval contexts, it often refers specifically to ships equipped with guided missiles.
- warship
- vessel

Origin

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.