détruitvsdétruiteWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“détruit” and “détruite” are a confusable French pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#2,875
“détruit” frequency rank
#8,539
“détruite” frequency rank
11414
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature détruit détruite
Definition Participe passé masculin singulier de détruire. Participe passé féminin singulier de détruire.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set détruit and détruite apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
détruit
8 ch
détruite

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. détruit (\de.tʁɥi\) and détruite (\de.tʁɥit\) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “détruit” sits inside “détruite”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 11414, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

détruit is recorded at frequency rank #2,875, classified as averb, pronounced \de.tʁɥi\. détruite is at rank #8,539, tagged as averb, pronounced \de.tʁɥit\.

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 11414, this pair ranks #409,235 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of détruit vs détruite

Shared letters: dirtué. Private to "détruit": -. Private to "détruite": e.

"détruit" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVVC  ·  "détruite" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVVCV

Frequency comparison

détruit#2,875
détruite#8,539

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "détruit" and "détruite" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently (\de.tʁɥi\ versus \de.tʁɥit\) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "détruit" or "détruite"?
"détruit" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #2,875 in our French list, against #8,539 for "détruite". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering détruit vs détruite

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “détruit” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list