Word
destroyer
Phoneticsde·stroy·er, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈstɹɔɪɝ/
UK/dɪstɹˈɔɪɐ/
Definitions
01one who ruins
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a person or thing that ruins, breaks, or ends something.
n. an agent—whether human, mechanical, or abstract—that causes the destruction or ruin of something else.
“The invasive beetle became the destroyer of the local forest.”
“Historians often debate whether the emperor was a visionary reformer or simply a destroyer of ancient traditions.”
Synonyms
02a warship
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Science
n. a fast, medium-sized warship used to protect other ships or attack enemies.
n. a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers.
Español:destructor
“The navy sent a destroyer to patrol the waters near the coast.”
“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.
Real-World Examples
“Centcom said it "successfully evaded" the multiple attacks from the IRGC earlier in the day, which were targeting a US aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer.” 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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/destroyer
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0