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ruina

ruin, downfall

noun RRWEE-nah Rare
Travel & Places Landmarks

Origin: From Latin 'ruina' (collapse, downfall), from 'ruere' (to fall).

Also means

ruins (pl), remains

Usage Note

Ruina in the singular refers to destruction or financial collapse (llevó la empresa a la ruina, he drove the company to ruin). In the plural, ruinas, it denotes the physical remains of destroyed structures (las ruinas romanas). The phrase estar en ruinas means 'to be in ruins' both literally and figuratively. The verb arruinar means 'to ruin'.

Examples

"Las ruinas del castillo atraen a muchos turistas."

Natural Translation

The castle ruins attract many tourists.

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