# destroyer

> English word · Noun · IPA /dəˈstɹɔɪ.ɚ/ · frequency rank #14,935

## Definitions
1. That which destroys something.
2. A small, fast warship with light gun armament, smaller than a cruiser, but bigger than a frigate.
3. A larger warship with guided missile armament, usually intended for air defence or anti-ship roles. Often, but not always, larger than a frigate and smaller than a cruiser.
4. A larger warship with guided missile armament, usually intended for air defence or anti-ship roles. Often, but not always, larger than a frigate and smaller than a cruiser.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English destroyour, destroyere; By surface analysis, destroy + -er. Designating a warship, it is ellipsis of torpedo-boat destroyer, the longer term appearing at the end of the 19th century and the shorter form early in the 20th.

## Easily confused with
- **destroy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/destroy-vs-destroyer)
- **destroyed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/destroyed-vs-destroyer)

## Common misspellings (14)
`ddestroyer`, `desrtoyer`, `desstroyer`, `destoryer`, `destroeyr`, `destroyerr`, `destroyre`, `destroyyer`, `destrroyer`, `destryoer`, `desttroyer`, `detsroyer`, `dsetroyer`, `edstroyer`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/destroyer