English → Latin
“demolish” in Latin
dēmōliorto demolish, tear downēvertōto turn upside down, overturn, reverse; to upset, disturb, agitate, roil; to throw down, cause to falldiscutiōto strike asunder, dash to pieces, shatter; to scatter or disperse, dissipate (especially an enemy); to examine, discussdēleōto destroy, raze, annihilate; to finish, terminate, put an end to; to delete (e.g. Ecclesiastical: from the book of lifetegōto cover; to clothe; to conceal, hide, protecturbsa city, walled town; the City, Romestatuōto put up (something); to stand (something) in an upright position; to establish, determine, fix (the form or character virtūsmanhood, manliness, virility; courage, valor, resoluteness, gallantry; virtue, goodnessamīcitiafriendship; an alliancemoeniacity walls, town walls, defensive walls, fortifications, ramparts, bulwarks; in general: walls, enclosure
The English word demolish itself goes back to Latin mōlēs, through dēmōlior.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
demolish
demoliri (pull down with an exertion of strength; e.g., a roof, part of a wall, tectum: partem muri): evertere (to demolish, or turn topsy-turvy; e.g., urbem, statuam; thence, figuratively to annihilate; e.g., the state; virtue; friendship; rem publicam; virtutem; amicitiam): disjicere (e.g., moenia, arcem, munitiones, statuas, etc.): discutere (to shake to pieces; e.g., columnam, aliquantum muri): delere (destroy utterly; e.g., urbem): to demolish utterly, funditus destruere; a or e fundamentis disjicere; funditus evertere (PROP.): solo aequare, or adaequare; delere et solo adaequare (e.g., urbem): to demolish fortifications, moenia a fundamentis disjicere: there is nothing which time cannot demolish, nihil est, quod non conficiat vetustas.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for demolish?
- The usual Latin words for “demolish” are dēmōlior, ēvertō, discutiō; also dēleō, tegō, urbs. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.