pusztító

Pusztító is a Hungarian word that functions as both an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, it describes something that causes extensive damage or destruction, such as pusztító vihar (devastating storm), pusztító tűz (devastating fire), or pusztító hatás (devastating effect). In this use, the term conveys magnitude and harm.

As a noun, pusztító can refer to a person or thing that destroys or wreaks havoc, and it is often used in figurative or emphatic contexts as well as in technical or military language to denote a destroyer or devastator. Examples include phrases like a pusztító erő (devastating force) or a pusztító fegyver (devastating weapon). The noun use is less common in everyday speech but appears in literature, journalism, and descriptive writing.

Morphology and pronunciation: Pusztító is formed from the verb pusztít (to destroy) with the suffix -ó, which in Hungarian marks either the present participle or an agent noun. The word is stressed on the first syllable: [ˈpus.ti.to].

Related terms include pusztítás (destruction), which denotes the act or process of destroying, and pusztító erő or destruktív, which are used in similar contexts to express destructive power or destructiveness in modern language.

See also: pusztítás, pusztító erő, pusztító hatás, destruktív.