Détruire
Example: Ils ont décidé de détruire l'ancien bâtiment demain.
Definition
"Détruire" means to cause the complete ruin or demolition of something, making it no longer usable or existing. For example, in the phrase 'Ils ont décidé de détruire l'ancien bâtiment demain,' it refers to the act of tearing down the old building.
Etymology
The word "détruire" comes from the Latin verb 'destruere,' meaning 'to tear down' or 'destroy.' It combines 'de-' (down, away) and 'struere' (to build), which interestingly suggests unbuilding something. Did you know that this root is also related to English words like 'destroy' and 'structure'?
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"Détruire" appears in the Vocaplus list "French - General - (B1) - set 4", containing 113 commonly used words.
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