Destructivity

/ˌdɪstrʌkˈtɪvɪti/ noun

Definition

The quality, degree, or capacity of being destructive; the measure of how much damage something can cause.

Etymology

From 'destructive' plus '-ity' (a suffix forming nouns that express a state, condition, or degree). Similar to how 'productive' becomes 'productivity,' 'destructive' becomes 'destructivity.'

Kelly Says

Military strategists measure weapon 'destructivity' in terms of blast radius and impact force, but ecologists study the 'destructivity' of invasive species, which sometimes prove more harmful than bombs by completely remaking ecosystems.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.