I. də̇ˈstrəktiv, dēˈ-, -ktēv also -təv adjective
Etymology: Middle French destructif, from Late Latin destructivus, from Latin destructus + -ivus -ive
1. : having the capability, property, or effect of destroying : causing destruction:
a. : tending to bring about demolition or devastation
destructive storms are rare in Maine
insects destructive of many trees
abuse of mankind's scientific genius for destructive ends — Vera M. Dean
b. : tending to take life or promote death : dangerously injurious to a living being : deadly , annihilative
a cavalry that checked to fire exposed itself to a destructive volley — Tom Wintringham
an exceedingly destructive type of joint lesion known as a Charcot joint — G.A.Bennett
otters are very destructive of salmon and trout — F.D.Smith & Barbara Wilcox
specifically : prompting one to destroy another or oneself
passionate feeling is desirable, provided it is not destructive — Bertrand Russell
harbors aggressive and destructive instincts to kill
self- destructive human behavior
c. : tending to impair, damage, or wreck : productive of evil results : deleterious
sharp or persistent inflations, deep and dragging depressions, are not corrective but destructive — Defense Against Recession
2. : designed or tending to destroy, clear away, eliminate, or invalidate
destructive of firmly established ideas
a destructive standard
— opposed to constructive
3. logic : retroactively negating (as when the denial of a consequent invalidates the antecedent: if A is B, then C is D; but C is not D; hence A is not B)
• de·struc·tive·ly -ktə̇vlē, -li adverb
II. noun
( -s )
1. : a destructive agent or force
2. : one destructive of an accepted norm