Putrification

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The biological and chemical breakdown of organic material resulting in decay and foul odor
2. A natural process where organic substances decompose and produce unpleasant smells and gases
3. The decomposition of dead matter involving microbial activity that causes it to rot and emit a strong stench

Etymology: "Putrification" is a common misspelling of "putrefaction," the standard English noun for the decay of organic matter by bacteria and fungi. The mix-up is understandable: English has many nouns ending in "-fication" (such as "petrification" and "purification") that come from verbs ending in "-fy." The correct form follows a different Latin pattern. "Putrefaction" comes from Latin "putrefactio," from "putrefacere," meaning "to make rotten," built from "putrere," "to rot," and "facere," "to make" or "do." The English word was borrowed through Old French in the late Middle Ages, and its literal sense of making something rot has stayed largely intact for centuries. The related adjective "putrid" comes from the same Latin root "putrere," so the family of words shares one blunt idea: rot.

Synonyms: decomposition, decay, rotting, putrefaction, deterioration