pemusnah

Pemusnah is a noun in the Indonesian language that refers to a person or thing that destroys or ruins something. The word is formed with the prefix pe- and the root musnah, meaning ruined, resulting in an agentive noun that can denote either a destroyer (person) or a destroying instrument. The related noun pemusnahan denotes the act or process of destruction.

In usage, pemusnah can describe a person assigned to destroy items or a device designed to render something unusable. In formal or legal language, destruction is more commonly expressed with pemusnahan, as in pemusnahan barang bukti (destruction of evidence) or pemusnahan barang milik negara. When referring to personnel or equipment involved in destruction, pemusnah (or phrases such as tim pemusnah) may be employed.

Common contexts include waste management and regulatory disposal, where pemusnah devices or facilities—such as incinerators or shredders—are described as pemusnah tools, categories that emphasize their function rather than intent. The term is widely understood in modern Indonesian and appears in dictionaries and official communications to distinguish between the act of destruction (pemusnahan) and the destroyer or destroying device (pemusnah).

See also: pemusnahan, penghancuran, pemusnah barang bukti.