Wordwyrt

ruin

/ˈɹuːən/ROO-uhn
/ˈɹuən/ROO-uhn

Meaninga tumbling down

Common meaning: wreckage

Other meanings: to wreck

Journey through time

  1. Latinruō, ruī, rutum; ruīna‘to rush down, tumble’
  2. Frenchruine
  3. Middle Englishruinesource
  4. Englishmeaning shiftsto rush down, tumble → wreckageruin‘wreckage’ · today

ruin also in: ruinous

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin ruō ‘to rush down, tumble’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry ruō, p. 1606 · dictionary scan

Roots

Related words

ruinous

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