Putrefactions

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The processes through which organic matter decomposes, releasing foul odors and bacteria as it breaks down
2. The stages of decay in which biological material deteriorates, often resulting in the formation of gases and liquids that are offensive
3. The various phases of rotting, characterized by the transformation of tissue and the emergence of decomposing organisms that contribute to unpleasant smells

Etymology: "Putrefactions" is simply the plural of "putrefaction," so the word's history is the history of that noun. It comes from Latin "putrefactio," a noun built on "putrefaciō," which meant "become rotten." That verb combines "putris," rotten or decayed, with "facere," to make or do, so the whole idea is literally "making rotten." The Latin noun passed into Old French as "putrefaccion" and reached English in the late 1300s, when it was written in Middle English as "putrefaccioun." The plural form appears when writers want to speak of several distinct instances of decay or of decay as a set of separate processes, rather than the abstract act itself. The base noun has kept its literal sense of rot from the start, which is why the word still names the biological breakdown of dead matter.

Synonyms: decay, decomposition, rot, deterioration, spoiling

Antonyms: preservation, freshness, wholeness