Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

destroyer

/dəˈstɹɔɪ.ɚ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.50 in modern English

Syllables: de-stroy-er
IPA: /dəˈstɹɔɪ.ɚ/

13

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

That which destroys something.

noun

A small, fast warship with light gun armament, smaller than a cruiser, but bigger than a frigate.

noun

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.

noun

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.

Example Sentences

"But it is as a destroyer of grasshoppers that the dickcissel excels."
"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."

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.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: destroyour

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /dəˈstɹɔɪ.ɚ/

Inflected Forms

destroyers (plural)

Phrases

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

Synonyms

devastator decimator guided missile destroyer ruiner undoer waster uprooter

Rhymes With

employer foyer boyer hoyer moyer troyer scheuer goyer oyer multiemployer poyer shroyer

Questions

How do you pronounce destroyer?: The recorded pronunciation is /dəˈstɹɔɪ.ɚ/.
What does destroyer mean?: That which destroys something.
Where does destroyer come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce destroyer

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “destroyer”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/dəˈstɹɔɪ.ɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “destroyer”.
Repeat and practice — Say “destroyer” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.