Archaic or rare term meaning destructive; tending to cause destruction or ruin.
From Latin 'destructorius' (tending to destroy), formed from 'destructus' plus '-orius' (a Latin suffix forming adjectives). This follows the pattern of English '-ory' adjectives like 'sensory' and 'dormitory.'
Destructory appears in older English texts and legal documents as a more formal synonym for destructive, but it's essentially been replaced—a perfect example of how English gradually favors shorter, more straightforward word forms over time.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.