הרס
héresmasculine
The English phrase 'destruction' is translated into Hebrew as הרס (héres). Wiktionary also lists הריסה (harisá) and הַשְׁמָדָה (hashmadá).
Meaning: act of destroying (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| הרס | héres | masculine | |
| הריסה | harisá | /(h)aʁiˈsa/ (Modern Israeli) | feminine |
| הַשְׁמָדָה | hashmadá | feminine | |
| חֻרְבָּן | khurbán | masculine |
The term refers to the act of destroying or breaking down something, often implying deliberate destruction or devastation caused by conflict or war.
Which one should you use?
The specific Hebrew word you choose depends on the type of destruction: הריסה is specifically used for the physical demolition of structures, such as buildings. חֻרְבָּן is often used in a literary or historical context to describe the devastation or ruin of a city, temple or civilization. While הרס refers to general destruction, הַשְׁמָדָה is used for the total annihilation or extermination of a group or entity.
How does it change in a sentence?
הרס is a masculine noun. The other forms provided are הריסה (feminine), הַשְׁמָדָה (feminine) and חֻרְבָּן (masculine).
How do you pronounce it?
héres
Did you know?
- The term הַשְׁמָדָה is used in modern Hebrew to describe 'pest control' or 'extermination' of insects, applying the concept of total destruction to household bugs.
- The word הרס shares a common root with an Arabic word meaning 'to grind' or 'to mill', suggesting a concept of destruction through crushing.
- The word חֻרְבָּן shares a root with words for 'desolation' and 'wilderness', suggesting that 'destruction' in this sense is not just an act, but the state of becoming a wasteland.
Example sentences for Hebrew are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “destruction” translations and entries הרס, הריסה, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries הריסה, הרס, CC BY-SA 4.0.
