putrefaction

American  

[pyoo-truh-fak-shuhn] / ˌpyu trəˈfæk ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of putrefying; the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter by bacteria and fungi that results in obnoxiously odorous products; rotting.

2. the state of being putrefied; decay.

---

Other Word Forms

• putrefacient adjective
• putrefactive adjective

Etymology

Origin of putrefaction

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin putrefactiōn- (stem of putrefactiō ) a rotting, equivalent to Latin putrefact ( us ) (past participle of putrefacere to putrefy ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

“At death, virus replication stops and putrefaction and heat begins to neutralize live virus,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 20, 2024

Gut bacteria, especially a class of microbes called Clostridia, spread through your organs and digest you from the inside out in a process called putrefaction.

From Salon • Oct. 2, 2023

"He's in the putrefaction stage now, because of the water."

From BBC • Sep. 17, 2023

“It is a laborious process because generally the bodies are in a putrefaction stage, many individual characteristics have been lost,” Pachar said.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 4, 2021

Liquid putrefaction like drowned things floating like pale rubber flabbily filled getting the odor of honeysuckle all mixed up.

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner