corrosion

American  

[kuh-roh-zhuhn] / kəˈroʊ ʒən /

noun

1. the act or process of corroding; condition of being corroded.

2. a product of corroding, as rust.

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corrosion British  

/ kəˈrəʊʒən /

noun

1. a process in which a solid, esp a metal, is eaten away and changed by a chemical action, as in the oxidation of iron in the presence of water by an electrolytic process

2. slow deterioration by being eaten or worn away

3. the condition produced by or the product of corrosion

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corrosion Scientific  

/ kə-rō′zhən /

1. The breaking down or destruction of a material, especially a metal, through chemical reactions. The most common form of corrosion is rusting, which occurs when iron combines with oxygen and water.

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Other Word Forms

• corrosional adjective

Etymology

Origin of corrosion

1350–1400; Middle English (< Middle French ) < Late Latin corrōsiōn- (stem of corrōsiō ) a gnawing away, equivalent to Latin corrōs ( us ), past participle of corrōdere to corrode + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Corrosion is the process by which something deteriorates because of oxidation, a chemical action that creates oxides that flake away from the base. When you see a rusty, shoddy looking car, corrosion is the culprit. Although the word is most often associated with the physical breakdown of a metal through rusting, the erosion of rock by wind and water is a form of corrosion. The word can also be applied to other situations, like the corrosion of a once-strong friendship. There could be corrosion of relations between two countries. Whenever something's being worn down or eaten away, you can call it corrosion.

Example Sentences

And the unique printing process of Bonnie Ralston, shown by Arts Gowanus, uses found metal objects, salt, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to create ghostly industrial prints out of corrosion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Operator Perenco said the cause was microbial corrosion in a buried pipeline.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

The material provides the strength, corrosion resistance and ductility required for demanding applications such as vehicle underbodies, frame elements and other key structural parts.

From Science Daily • Mar. 10, 2026

Today, they are still used in consumer and industrial products because they repel water, grease, and stains and can tolerate heat and corrosion.

From Science Daily • Feb. 26, 2026

Did we repeat the experiment, we should instead inoculate in the leg, which, being further removed from the pneumatic, electrico-aetherial, and hydraulico- vascular machinery, is less likely to lead to internal corrosion and fatality, viz.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• decay
• decomposition
• deterioration
• erosion
• rust