Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “destroying” come from?

Destroying derives from Old English -ing, attached to destroy, which comes from Latin destruō, composed of Latin dē- and Latin struō, meaning to build or construct.

destroying (English): present participle of destroy

Definitions

  1. present participle of destroy

Ancestry of “destroying”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdestroyTo damage beyond use or repair; To neutralize,...
2Middle Englishdestroyento destroy
3Old Frenchdestruireto destroy
4Latindestrugō—
5Latindēstruō—
6Latindē-—
7Latindē—
8Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
9Latinposteablative singular of postis
10Proto-Italicposti—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

Words derived from “destroying”

  • destroyingly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →