destructor

D2E1S1T1R1U1C3T1O1R1

noun

One who destructs.

Opposite
constructor
OriginLatin dēstrūctor ← Proto-Italic *strowō ← Proto-Indo-European *stréweti →
Less commonScrabble 13
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Meanings

noundestructor (plural destructors)

plural destructors

  1. One who destructs.
  2. A furnace or oven for the burning or carbonizing of refuse.
  3. object-oriented programmingA function that runs when an object is no longer required, used to release any resources that it was using.

    Antonyms: constructor

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA function that runs when an object is no longer required, used to release any resources that it was using.

Opposite
constructor

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindē
  5. Latindē-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*ster-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*sterh₃-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*strew-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*stréweti
  10. Proto-Italic*strowō
  11. Latinstruō
  12. Latindēstruō
  13. Latindēstrūctor
  14. Englishdestructor

Learned borrowing from Latin dēstrūctor. By surface analysis, destruct + -or.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 破壞者 /破坏者, 析構函數 /析构函数
  • 破壞者 /破坏者 (pòhuàizhe)one who destructs
  • 析構函數 /析构函数 (xīgòu hánshù)cleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
Czech destruktor
  • destruktorcleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
Finnish purkaja, destruktori
  • purkajaone who destructs
  • destruktoricleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
  • hajotincleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
  • purkajacleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
French destructeur, destructeur
  • destructeurone who destructs
  • destructeurcleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
German Zerstörer, Destruktor
  • Zerstörerone who destructs
  • Destruktorcleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
Japanese デストラクタ, 消去子
  • デストラクタ (desutorakuta)cleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
  • 消去子 (shōkyoshi)cleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
Polish destruktor, destruktorka
  • destruktorone who destructs
  • destruktorkaone who destructs
  • niszczycielone who destructs
  • niszczycielkaone who destructs
  • destruktorcleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
Portuguese destruidor, destrutor
  • destruidorone who destructs
  • destrutorcleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
Russian разруши́тель, разруши́тельница
  • разруши́тель (razrušítelʹ)one who destructs
  • разруши́тельница (razrušítelʹnica)one who destructs
  • дестру́ктор (destrúktor)cleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
Spanish destructor
  • destructorcleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
Vietnamese hàm huỷ
  • hàm huỷcleaning-up commands in object oriented programming
Cite this entry
APA

destructor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/destructor

MLA

“destructor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/destructor. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “destructor,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/destructor.

Source: destructor on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.