rot

¹ American  

[rot] / rɒt /

verb (used without object)

rotted, rotting

1. to undergo decomposition; decay.

   Synonyms:

   spoil, putrefy, molder, mold

2. to deteriorate, disintegrate, fall, or become weak due to decay (often followed by away, from, off, etc.).

3. to languish, as in confinement.

4. to become morally corrupt or offensive.

   Antonyms:

   purify

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verb (used with object)

rotted, rotting

1. to cause to rot.

   Dampness rots wood.

2. to cause moral decay in; cause to become morally corrupt.

   Antonyms:

   purify

3. to ret (flax, hemp, etc.).

noun

1. the process of rotting.

2. the state of being rotten; decay; putrefaction.

   the rot of an old house.

   Synonyms:

   mold, decomposition

3. rotting or rotten matter.

   the rot and waste of a swamp.

4. moral or social decay or corruption.

5. Pathology. any disease characterized by decay.

6. Plant Pathology.

   1. any of various forms of decay produced by fungi or bacteria.

   2. any disease so characterized.

7. Veterinary Pathology. a bacterial infection of sheep and cattle characterized by decay of the hoofs, caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum in cattle and Bacteroides nodosus in sheep.

8. nonsense.

interjection

1. (used to express disagreement, distaste, or disgust.)

ROT ² American  

1. rule of thumb.

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rot. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. rotating.

2. rotation.

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rot ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. rotation (of a mathematical function)

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rot ² British  

/ rɒt /

verb

1. to decay or cause to decay as a result of bacterial or fungal action

2. (intr; usually foll by off or away) to fall or crumble (off) or break (away), as from natural decay, corrosive action, or long use

3. (intr) to become weak, debilitated, or depressed through inertia, confinement, etc; languish

   rotting in prison

4. to become or cause to become morally corrupt or degenerate

5. (tr) textiles another word for ret

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noun

1. the process of rotting or the state of being rotten

2. something decomposed, disintegrated, or degenerate

3. short for dry rot

4. pathol any putrefactive decomposition of tissues

5. a condition in plants characterized by breakdown and decay of tissues, caused by bacteria, fungi, etc

6. vet science a contagious fungal disease of the feet of sheep characterized by inflammation, swelling, a foul-smelling discharge, and lameness

7. (also interjection) nonsense; rubbish

rot Scientific  

/ rŏt /

1. To undergo decomposition, especially organic decomposition; decay.

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1. Any of several plant diseases characterized by the breakdown of tissue and caused by various bacteria or fungi.

Related Words

See decay.

Other Word Forms

• half-rotted adjective
• unrotted adjective

Etymology

Origin of rot

before 900; (v.) Middle English rot ( t ) en, Old English rotian, cognate with Frisian rotsje, Dutch rotten; (noun) Middle English, perhaps < Old Norse rot (perhaps partly derivative of the v.); ret, rotten )

Example Sentences

The pillars tilted and some of the floor boards showed signs of rot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

It offered thick but uneven walls and rot in the roof beams, but was cozy and quaint, with almost an acre of land.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

A publication that once stood for truth and justice, emboldening reporters like Bernstein and Woodward to uncover corruption, was now wantonly flaunting its own rot.

From Salon • Mar. 7, 2026

Elsewhere, on the corner of Broadway and Fourth streets, Mero has commandeered a once historic building that’s been burned and left to rot.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

I hold my breath as the stench of rotting trash mixes with smoke and pulverized concrete, smashed-up sewers and rot.

From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell

Related Words

• break down
• crumble
• decay
• decompose
• disintegrate
• languish
• molder
• perish
• spoil
• stain
• warp
• wither