destruído

Destruído is a word used in both Spanish and Portuguese to indicate that something has been destroyed or ruined. It functions as the past participle of the verbs destruir in Spanish and destruir in Portuguese, and can be used as an adjective or in a compound verbal construction. In Portuguese the form is destruído (masculine singular) or destruída (feminine singular), with plural destruídos or destruídas. In Spanish the corresponding forms are destruido (masculine singular) and destruida (feminine singular), with plurals destruidos and destruidas.

Etymology and formation: the term derives from the Latin destruere, built from de- plus stru- (to build or pile up), with the sense of undoing or breaking apart. Through the Romance languages it developed into participles that describe resultant states.

Usage and meaning: destruído describes objects, places, or abstract concepts that have suffered severe damage or ruin. It is commonly used with estar or quedar in Spanish and with estar or ficar/ficar in Portuguese to express current states: Spanish examples include La casa está destruida or La ciudad quedó destruida; Portuguese examples include a casa está destruída or o prédio ficou destruído. The word can also be used metaphorically to indicate emotional or symbolic destruction: destruido por uma crise, or destruido pela guerra.

See also: destruir (the verb), destrucción (Spanish noun for destruction), destrucción/destruição (noun forms in Spanish and Portuguese), and related adjectives describing damage or ruin.