Corroders

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A variety of substances or agents that gradually wear away or deteriorate another material through chemical reactions or physical processes
2. Items or compounds that facilitate the decline of structural integrity by causing the surface to be eaten away over time
3. Entities that lead to the gradual destruction or weakening of materials, often through oxidation or other damaging actions

Etymology: Corroders share a root with a word for rodents. The verb "corrode" comes from Latin "corrodere," where "com-" intensified the meaning of "rodere," "to gnaw." "Rodent" comes from the same Latin verb, so a corroder and a rat both get their names from gnawing, one on metal or stone and the other on wood or grain. "Corroder" is the verb plus the English agent suffix "-er," which marks a thing or person that performs an action. The plural "corroders" simply applies that noun to several such items.

Synonyms: agents of corrosion, oxidizers, degraders