Ruination

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌɹuː.ɪˈneɪʃən/

Definitions

1. The act of causing complete destruction or irreversible damage to something, leading to its loss of value, function, or existence
2. The process or condition of being destroyed, rendered worthless, or brought to complete failure and collapse
3. A state of severe deterioration, downfall, or irreversible harm that results in the loss of prosperity, integrity, or usefulness

Etymology: Ruination is a plain formation: the noun "ruin" with the suffix "-ation", which turns a verb or noun into a state or process. The suffix itself has a long pedigree. It descends from Proto-Italic and Latin "-tiō", was extended to "-ātiō" in Latin, passed into English through Old French "-ation", and reached Middle English as "-aciоun" before settling into its modern form. The base word "ruin" is the more interesting half. It came into English from Old French "ruine", which in turn comes from Latin "ruina", meaning a collapse or fall, from the verb "ruere", to fall rapidly or rush down. So the root idea is literal falling, and the English noun "ruin" first described physical collapse before taking on its later sense of ruined fortune or character. Because "ruination" is built directly from "ruin" plus the suffix, it carries that same idea of falling down, now stretched to cover the loss of prosperity, integrity, or usefulness. The formation is transparent, so the word adds little beyond the sense of a process or state that "ruin" already names.

Synonyms: destruction, devastation, collapse, downfall

Antonyms: restoration, revival