The phrase employs the gerundive, a verbal adjective, of deleo, delere, delevi, deletum, "to destroy", (delendus, -a, -um). The future passive participle "delenda" (meaning "to be destroyed") is then combined with the verb sum ("to be") or parts thereof, adds an element of compulsion or necessity, yielding "is to be destroyed", or, as it is more commonly rendered "must be destroyed". This then forms a predicative adjective. This construction in Latin is known as the passive periphrastic. Carthago, -inis being a feminine noun, the feminine gender of the gerundive is applied. The fuller forms Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam or Ceterum autem censeo Carthaginem esse delendam use the so-called accusative and infinitive for the indirect statement.