DictionaryRoot: spoliare
Latin

spoliare

to strip, rob

2 / 3
A glass of spilled juice soaks a carefully completed drawing, colors running and paper buckling.
verb

spoil

SPOYL/spɔɪl/

To damage the quality or usefulness of something.

Etymology

Latin spoliare meant to strip or plunder. English extended that idea to depriving something of an essential quality, which led to the broader sense of damaging it or ruining its enjoyment.

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