stru-, struct-, -structure, -struction, -structive

(Latin: to build, to build up; to pile; to construct; to place together, to arrange)

construction, destruction
construction (kuhn STRUK shuhn) (noun)
The product of the building or creating process, using building materials, words, etc.: The construction of the sentence consisted of both individual words and phrases.

The construction of the skyscraper started with much ceremony and many speeches.

destruction (di STRUK shuhn) (noun)
Ruin, the process or act of tearing something down, literally or figuratively: The whispered scandal of Lila's illness proved to be the destruction of her career.

The company had a contract authorizing the complete destruction of the old building, to make way for the new skyscraper.

English is an interesting language; for example, the word raise means the construction of something; however the word raze means the destruction of something.

constructive (adjective), more constructive, most constructive
1. Intended to be useful or helpful or serving to improve or to advance something.
2. Carefully considered and meant to be helpful.
3. Relating to or involved in forming a part of or the basic structure of a building.
constructively (noun), more constructively, most constructively
1. A reference to building or forming something by putting parts together by framing or devising them: "Their plans for the new bridge were constructively feasible and successful."
2. Descriptive of helping to develop or to improve something: "His feedback was constructively helpful."
constructiveness (s) (noun) (no plural)
1. The quality of serving to build or to improve something: "The drawings provided a constructiveness that made it easier to do the job correctly and efficiently."
2. Having or intended to have a useful or beneficial purpose: "The constructiveness of her advice about his educational objectives proved to be very helpful."
3. In law, not obvious or stated explicitly; derived by inference; based on an interpretation; not directly expressed: "The constructiveness of what the liability would be made it difficult for the defendant to comprehend."
constructivist (adjective) (not comparable)
Relating to the Russian movement in modern art which was characterized by the creation of non-representational geometric objects using industrial materials: "The constructivist artists used metal, glass, etc. to make their artistic presentations."
constructivist (s) (noun), constructivists (pl)
A practitioner of or an artist of abstract art: "There was a constructivist movement in modern art originating in Moscow in 1920 which was characterized by the use of industrial materials such as glass, sheet metal, and plastic to create nonrepresentational, often geometric objects."

"The leading constructivists were the brothers Naum Gabo, a Russian-born US sculptor (1890-1977) and Antoine Pevsner, who was a Russian sculptor and painter (1886-1962)."

"Antoine was influenced by cubism while in Paris in 1911 and 1913. During World War I he was in Norway with his brother Naum Gabo. They returned to Moscow after the Russian Revolution and he and Gabo worked together in 1920 on the Manifesto of Constructivism."

constructor, constructer (s) (noun); constructors, constructers (pl)
Someone who puts substances or parts together; especially, systematically, in order to make, to assemble, or to put a building, a bridge, or any other structure together as a whole.
construe (verb), construes; construed; construing
1. To understand the meaning; especially, of other people's actions and statements, in a particular way: "Any change in our plan for the budjet would be construed as indecision."
2. To interpret or to understand the meaning of a word, a gesture, or an action in a particular way: "The silence of the witness in a legal trial could be construed as an admission of guilt."
3. If something is construed in a particular way, its nature or meaning is interpreted in that way.
4. Etymology: from Middle English construen; from Latin construere, "to put together, to build up"; from con-, "together" + struere, "to pile up, to arrange".
construer (s) (noun), construers (pl)
1. Someone who arranges words in their natural order; to reduce from a transposed to a natural order, so as to discover the sense of a sentence; hence, to interpret; and when applied to a foreign language, to translate; to render into English; as, a construer of Greek, Latin, or French.
2. Those who interpret, explain, show, or understand the meanings of something: "She was a construer of the translations that were necessary for us to know where we would be going on our trip."
deconstruct (verb), deconstructs; deconstructed; deconstructing
To analyze a linguistic system or text in order to expose its hidden or internal component contradictions and constituent parts in order to enhance them: "Simon wanted to deconstruct his lexicon in order improve its contents so people can comprehend the definitions more efficiently."
deconstruction (s) (noun), deconstructions (pl)
A theory that is used in the study of literature or philosophy which says a piece of writing does not have just one meaning and that the meaning depends on the skills of the reader: "Sarina was analyzing the technical manual to determine if it could be easily understood and its suggested concepts applied by users."
destroy (verb), destroys; destroyed; destroying
1. To cause so much damage to something that it is completely ruined or does not exist any more: "The fire completely destroyed the building."
2. To demolish something or to reduce something into fragments: "All of the files were destroyed."
3. To ruin something or to make it useless; as well as, to abolish, to rescind, or to end it.
4. To ruin; to spoil; or to render someone or something useless: "He had a disease that destroys the body."
5. To annihilate, to crush, to subdue, or to defeat.
6. To be destructive or to cause destruction: "The gas explosion destroyed several stores in the business district."
7. Etymology: from early 13th century, from Old French destruire in the 12th century and then Modern French détruire, "to destroy, to ravage, to lay waste"; from Vulgar Latin destrugere, "refashioned" that is influenced by destructus; from Latin destruere, "to tear down, to demolish"; literally, "un-build" from de- "un-, down" + struere. "to pile, to build".
destroyable (adjective), more destroyable, most destroyable
1. Capable of reducing an object to useless fragments, a useless form, or remains: The glass vase was destroyable as it turned out when it fell on the floor and the pieces were scattered around.
2. That which can be injured beyond repair or renewal; demolishable; ruinable; annihilable: The house proved to be destroyable as was shown by the results of the tornado.
destroyer (s) (noun), destroyers (pl)
1. A small, fast, highly maneuverable warship armed with guns, torpedoes, depth charges, and guided missiles.
2. A person who ruins, or lays waste to something: "Henry was convicted of being the destroyer of the neighbor's car."
3. Someone or something that causes destruction: "The document describes alcohol as a destroyer of families."
destruct (s) (noun), destructs (pl)
The intentional, usually remote-controlled complete demolishment of a space vehicle, rocket, or missile after launching, because of a defective performance or for reasons of safety: "The destructs of the two missiles were done because they were malfunctioning and so they presented a serious danger for many people."

Related "together" units: com-; greg-; inter-.