Demolish
mid 16th century: from French démoliss-, lengthened stem of démolir, from Latin demoliri, from de- (expressing reversal) + moliri ‘construct’ (from moles ‘mass’).
wiktionary
Attested since the 16th century; from Middle Frenchdemoliss-, the stem of some conjugated forms of the verb demolir(“to destroy”, “to tear down”), from Latin dēmōlior(“I tear down”).
etymonline
demolish (v.)
1560s, "to destroy the structural character of (a building, wall, etc.), by violently pulling it to pieces," from French demoliss-, present-participle stem of démolir "to destroy, tear down" (late 14c.), from Latin demoliri "tear down," from de "down" (see de-) + moliri "build, construct," from moles (genitive molis) "massive structure" (see mole (n.3)). Figurative sense of "to destroy, lay waste" is from 1610s; humorously, "to consume," by 1756. Related: Demolished; demolishing.
