ruinous
adj/ˈɹuː.ɪnəs/
Etymology From Middle English ruynous, from Old French ruinos, ruineus, from Latin ruīnōsus. By surface analysis, ruin + -ous.
1
Causing ruin; destructive, calamitous.
2
Extremely costly; so expensive as to cause financial ruin.
- They were forced to completely replace the roof at ruinous expense.
- We are rapidly reversing the economic calamity we inherited from the previous administration, including ruinous price increases and record-setting inflation, inflation like we've never had before.2025 September 23, Donald Trump, speech at United Nations:
3
Characterized by ruin; ruined; dilapidated; as, an edifice, bridge, or wall in a ruinous state.
- Synonyms
- ramshackle
- Derived terms
- ruinously, ruinousness