corrosive

[kuh-roh-siv]

adjective

1. having the quality of corroding or eating away; erosive.

2. harmful or destructive; deleterious.

   the corrosive effect of poverty on their marriage.

3. sharply sarcastic; caustic.

   corrosive comments on the speaker's integrity.

noun

1. something corrosive, as an acid or drug.

corrosive

/ kəˈrəʊsɪv /

adjective

1. (esp of acids or alkalis) capable of destroying solid materials

2. tending to eat away or consume

3. cutting; sarcastic

   a corrosive remark

noun

1. a corrosive substance, such as a strong acid or alkali

Other Word Forms

• corrosively adverb
• corrosiveness noun
• corrosivity noun
• noncorrosive adjective
• noncorrosively adverb
• noncorrosiveness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of corrosive¹

1350–1400; late Middle English (< Middle French ) < Medieval Latin corrōsīvus, equivalent to Latin corrōs ( us ) ( corrosion ) + -īvus -ive; replacing Middle English corosif < Middle French < Latin as above

Example Sentences

“But when universities do the same thing by trying to weasel out of their contracts, it’s equally corrosive.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But prosecutors accuse the company of being a corrosive influence -- running elaborate online networks that target people with romance or business cons and launder the proceeds through cryptocurrency.

Read more on Barron's

"London's housing crisis has deepened into something more corrosive: an affordability breakdown that is reshaping how a generation lives, works and plans for the future."

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Money can have a corrosive effect on relationships — romantic, platonic and familial — and upsets the balance of power in a relationship.

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It is deeply corrosive of personal mores and social trust.

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Related Words

• acerbic 
• caustic 
• destructive 
• incisive 
• trenchant