putrefy — to decay or rot and produce a foul smell; to become putrid
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to decay or rot and produce a foul smell; to become putrid
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈpjuːtrɪˌfaɪ/
Example Sentences
- The zombie's lunch began to putrefy before he could finish it, which was saying something.
- Without proper refrigeration, the food will putrefy within hours in this tropical climate.
- The detective knew the body had been there for days because it had started to putrefy.
putrefy
VERB[/ˈpjuːtrɪˌfaɪ/]
to decay or rot and produce a foul smell; to become putrid
a pile of forgotten vegetables sits in a dark corner, with visible brown spots and green mold covering their surfaces. Flies buzz around the decomposing produce as terrible smells rise upward in visible wavy lines. A person opens the pantry door and immediately covers their nose with their hand, recoiling backward. Their face shows disgust as they discover the source of the awful odor. Another family member peers over their shoulder, also pinching their nose shut. The scattered peels and mushy texture show advanced decay. organic matter putrefying and producing a foul smell through decomposition
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin putrefacere, combining putris meaning 'rotten' and facere meaning 'to make.' The word literally describes the process of making something rotten or decayed.
Breakdown
putr- (rotten/decay) + -fy (to make/cause to become)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The zombie's lunch began to putrefy before he could finish it, which was saying something.”
“Without proper refrigeration, the food will putrefy within hours in this tropical climate.”
“The detective knew the body had been there for days because it had started to putrefy.”
“My roommate's cooking skills are so bad that his food starts to putrefy before it's even finished cooking.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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