Incorrect spelling, explanation: the word destroy cannot be spelled as distroy due to its etymology, phonetic structure, and the rules of English spelling. The word destroy comes from the Latin destruere, which means to tear down (de = down, struere = to build). The original Latin root has no -i sound or letter in this position, and as the word evolved through Old French (destruire) into English, the spelling maintained the structure of destroy. The incorrect spelling distroy suggests an unnecessary change in the original structure that doesn’t align with its etymological roots.

Correct spelling, explanation: the correct spelling is destroy, which comes from the Latin word destruere, meaning to tear down or demolish. It’s a verb that means to ruin, damage, or annihilate something completely. On the other hand, distroy is an incorrect spelling and does not exist in modern English usage. This mistake might arise because people sometimes confuse how words are spelled based on their pronunciation.

Definition of destroy:
Verb, to damage something so badly that it cannot be used
The powerful hurricane threatened to destroy everything in its path, leaving residents scrambling for safety.
Years of neglect and exposure to harsh weather conditions slowly began to destroy the ancient ruins.

Collocations with destroy:
Some of the most commonly used collocations include:
1. Completely destroy: to ruin or annihilate something entirely, leaving nothing behind.
The wildfire completely destroyed the forest, leaving only ash and smoke in its wake.
2. Partially destroy: to damage something significantly but not totally ruin it.
The earthquake partially destroyed several buildings, but some structures managed to remain standing.
3. Utterly destroy: to cause total destruction in a more dramatic or intense way (similar to completely destroy, but more emphatic).
The invading forces utterly destroyed the enemy’s defenses, leaving no chance for retaliation.
4. Deliberately destroy: to destroy something on purpose, with intent.
The hackers deliberately destroyed the company’s data, causing chaos in the system.

Incorrect spelling

Incorrect spelling

Incorrect spelling